The answer is impartiality. Before I tell you the truth of life, to be honest, impartiality is easier to say than done.
Previously I've been saying to live with your soul and now everyone would be in confusion since all the happiness in life seems to be an illusion and in the end we would lose everything, so isn't it meaningless to live a life?
There are quite a number of people who perceive life in this way hence they would rather be beggar or tramp that can't wait for their dying day to come.
Don't underestimate those tramps or beggars, some are truly cultivated until they have reached the extent of not paying a single attention to their appearance, life or death, fame and wealth, gain and loss, good and bad, sexual desires and authority, all these can't stop them from living a true life.
However, these tramps or beggars only care for themselves but not others, thus the most they can achieve is to be an Arahant in the Theravada, this is very different from the deities of Mahayana that care for both themselves and others. In the future when you have the opportunity to know more about Buddhism, you can slowly find out what are all these.
There are two types of people who would go deranged while cultivating themselves, first are those who are attached to the teachings. Teachings are merely guides that lead you to the right path, when you have truly realized life, you're supposed to abandon those teachings.
Cultivation is not supposed to bring you into another attachment.
Secondly are those who are overly indulged in their lives, not only do they waste their life by leading a negative lifestyle, but also misunderstood the true essence of life.
If you can view everything regardless fortunes or misfortunes in life with an impartial heart, this means that you have possessed adequate amount of determination and wisdom to face everything in life. There's nothing bad that can waver your feelings and determination and nothing good can carry your feelings and determination away.
The living Buddha Ji Gong says: 'Alcohol and meat steam by the intestine, but Buddha remains in my heart'. If that's the case, isn't Ji Gong breaking the rules? Let me redress the injustice for Ji Gong, this doesn't actually mean Ji Gong enjoys meat and alcohol but what he wants to convey is he never let the desires of food to trouble him. He eats what he has because the difference doesn't exist to him, hence everything that is given to him is the best cuisine and he doesn't bother differentiating whether it's alcohol or water, meat or vegetables. You are the one who is differentiating!
This is like seeing a lion devouring a goat, you would probably think that the lion is extremely cruel as it tears every bits and parts of the goat's body into unintelligible pieces, but if you would view from the lion's perspective, all it did was to survive because it is born as a carnivore, you can't ask them to eat plants instead, can we?
However, if the lion kills the snake that you have always despised, would you think that it is cruel? I doubt so.
If you loathe at the sight of mouse, so you bought a cat to help you eradicate them. When your cat kills a mouse, you would be praising how great and obedient the cat is, however of the cat accidentally killed your pet hamster, you would have a whole different perception to it.
Therefore, if your mentality of differentiation is so great, how can you view things with impartiality?
This is why religion set rules and commandments in order to cultivate you with knowledge and determination. Once you have achieved the same level of spirituality as Ji Gong, you have completely achieved the ability to view things impartially.
Impartiality is enthusiastic and positive, it signifies - to enjoy the joy of life and to possess true happiness.
Nevertheless we're still human, we know that the spirit is sent upon the earth to transform its spirituality, even though at the end of the day we would end up with nothing, the process of our lives are the most precious ones.
In other words, this also means that we can still enjoy building relationships, earning money and gaining power and authority, however you must face all the gains and losses that these people and things would bring with an impartial heart.
When love comes to you, go ahead and enjoy every single moment of being cherished and loved, but when it leaves, move on and accept the things to which fate binds you.
Enjoy the satisfaction that it brings when you're capable of earning money to satisfy you and your family needs, but when you're no longer capable, move on and accept the things to which fate binds you.
Enjoy the power and authority that you've worked so hard to acquire, but when you've lost those powers, move on and accept things to which fate binds you.
Impartiality is to truly enjoy when you possess and to truly let go when you lost.
Majority of people find it hard to practice impartiality because they have the wrong idea about the true meaning of letting go. Letting go doesn't mean giving up everything, but it means to let go of your attachment. However people who try to let go ends up being attached to letting go.
Those who are afraid to commit themselves into religions make up excuses by saying, 'It's not the time for me to cultivate yet.' People make up all these excuses because they have mistaken the true meaning of why rules and commandments are made by all religions. They perceive that at the instant moment where they start believing, sex and lust would become sin and enjoyment would become an indulgence hence they always avoid from being committed.
Let me share this with you. There are various ways to self-cultivate as there are so many temptations in life that can serve as a tool for you to correct your greediness. Rules and commandments are made do thrust aside your attachment and to cultivate your impartiality.
For instance, you can go ahead and pursue wealth, but if you're saddened with the fact that you couldn't earn the desirable amount of money that you've always wanted after putting a lot of effort, this is known as attachment.
You can have the wants to possess a person or some things, but if you've reached the extent where you think you can't live without possessing that particular person or thing or if it brings you terrible pain when they are gone, then this is attachment.
To be frank, fame, wealth, power and sex are nothing bad, these are not wrongful acts and they are definitely not sins.
Feeling sinful is stemmed from your attachment and wrongful acts are created from your greed.
You have let the desires of your false self to take control over your soul and forgotten that gains and losses are the nature of living. This is just like complaining why bitter gourd is bitter, don't forget, the name itself has already shown. Being bitter is the nature of the bitter gourd.
When you are extremely attached to certain things, the false self would appear and your would would become the slave of desires and the prisoner/sinner that is imprisoned by the body.
It is not fame and wealth that deprave you, it is not sex that tempts you, it is not love that makes you go crazy and it is not desires that make you go through all these pains.
Precisely! All your pains are stemmed from your attachment.
Back then, you're attached because you don't have knowledge of the universal truth of life and you have yet to found your true self; today I've told you everything and broke the life code, if you still insist to attach the sorrows that the false self gives you, I'm sorry because I don't know any other methods that can release your soul from being imprisoned in the body.
Nowadays more and more people are suffering from depression. Majority of my friends who are suffering from depression are mostly wealthy, because they possess too much, when they lose they naturally feel the pain of being detached from what they used to have.
I have a close friend who was being cheated for an amount of over thirty million dollars yet today he still can't move on and accept the fact. If he didn't possess so much money, he wouldn't have to bear this great amount of loss. Today, if he is less wealthy, if he was only being cheated for an amount of thirty thousand dollars, I'm certain he would have already moved on and accepted the fact.
Try to take another viewpoint, some who are not even capable of earning wished to be cheated for over thirty million dollars.
In this lifetime if there's a chance for me to experience how it feels like to be cheated, I'd be glad to have this kind of experience, after all not everyone has the chance to experience this and all fortunes and misfortunes are blessings!
Saturday, 26 November 2016
The Greater the Happiness You Possess the Greater Pain When You've Lost the Happiness
If your parents treat you with love since young, you would be able to grow up in an environment filled with love, but when they leave, you would also go through indescribable pain.
However, if your parents abuse and beat you up after getting drunk since young, and in their latter days they would only stretch out their hands to ask for money, would you go through the similar pain when they leave?
Therefore, when man possess greater happiness, the greater the pain is when it is lost.
Let's say I'll make you a great entrepreneur with great career ahead and a billion-dollar mansion to live in, but how much time and money do you need to spend in order to maintain all these? Moreover you need to work until late night to earn more money to maintain your luxurious home, so how much time can you actually spend in that luxurious mansion of yours? With all the obligations, how much time can you spend with your family members? After a long day all you want is a good night's sleep, so basically all you need is a bed! However, it seems like your life is not any better that those idle grandparents who occasionally gather for small talk. Living in a billion-dollar mansion no longer bring any surprises or happiness to you, so wouldn't it bring more pleasant surprises if you go on a trip with your spouse and stay in a 6-star hotel once in a while?
If you can achieve success in career, lead a comfortable life and enjoy your life to the fullest, I suppose you would live a way better life than those deities.
Unfortunately when man possess all of these, they tend to forget who they really are. Furthermore, you can't live forever and you can't bring all of these with you, so I regard this as the illusion of happiness.
True happiness is with us every single second because living itself reflects the joy of life, but our current society, education system and family are instilling us with the wrong idea. We are required to not eat, sleep and live life freely as we wish, because eventually we need to go on diet to satisfy others' aesthetic standard, we need to work more and save more to buy car and house and we need to sacrifice our sleeping hours to work on our assignments and projects. We live our lives by merely waiting for pay increment, promotion, marriage, offspring and wealth to come to us, but at the end of the day you would realize you have been waiting for your dying day.
You're unconsciously restricting everything in life until you've lost the nature and vitality of living a true life, hence all that is left in life is an illusion because you're living to survive, you're living a 'society's' life or also known as a 'walking dead's life'. This is why you can't live as a 'nature's man'.
Back in the days, people study to cultivate their soul and mind, but today people study just for the sake of examination. The purpose of exam is to achieve good results, achieving good results is to enter a prestigious school, entering a prestigious school is to have a better career and the list goes on and on. We do everything to plan for the next step, but we've overlooked the knowledge that we obtained from education as a tool that leads us to live an ordinary, normal and happy 'nature's man's' life.
At the end of the day, studying would only serve to fulfill society's expectation and your illusionary future. Although at the surface your future might look fine, you've already put a full stop to the joy and value of life.
Don't let yourself go through so much pain and burden just to pursue a life of illusionary happiness.
However, if your parents abuse and beat you up after getting drunk since young, and in their latter days they would only stretch out their hands to ask for money, would you go through the similar pain when they leave?
Therefore, when man possess greater happiness, the greater the pain is when it is lost.
Let's say I'll make you a great entrepreneur with great career ahead and a billion-dollar mansion to live in, but how much time and money do you need to spend in order to maintain all these? Moreover you need to work until late night to earn more money to maintain your luxurious home, so how much time can you actually spend in that luxurious mansion of yours? With all the obligations, how much time can you spend with your family members? After a long day all you want is a good night's sleep, so basically all you need is a bed! However, it seems like your life is not any better that those idle grandparents who occasionally gather for small talk. Living in a billion-dollar mansion no longer bring any surprises or happiness to you, so wouldn't it bring more pleasant surprises if you go on a trip with your spouse and stay in a 6-star hotel once in a while?
If you can achieve success in career, lead a comfortable life and enjoy your life to the fullest, I suppose you would live a way better life than those deities.
Unfortunately when man possess all of these, they tend to forget who they really are. Furthermore, you can't live forever and you can't bring all of these with you, so I regard this as the illusion of happiness.
True happiness is with us every single second because living itself reflects the joy of life, but our current society, education system and family are instilling us with the wrong idea. We are required to not eat, sleep and live life freely as we wish, because eventually we need to go on diet to satisfy others' aesthetic standard, we need to work more and save more to buy car and house and we need to sacrifice our sleeping hours to work on our assignments and projects. We live our lives by merely waiting for pay increment, promotion, marriage, offspring and wealth to come to us, but at the end of the day you would realize you have been waiting for your dying day.
You're unconsciously restricting everything in life until you've lost the nature and vitality of living a true life, hence all that is left in life is an illusion because you're living to survive, you're living a 'society's' life or also known as a 'walking dead's life'. This is why you can't live as a 'nature's man'.
Back in the days, people study to cultivate their soul and mind, but today people study just for the sake of examination. The purpose of exam is to achieve good results, achieving good results is to enter a prestigious school, entering a prestigious school is to have a better career and the list goes on and on. We do everything to plan for the next step, but we've overlooked the knowledge that we obtained from education as a tool that leads us to live an ordinary, normal and happy 'nature's man's' life.
At the end of the day, studying would only serve to fulfill society's expectation and your illusionary future. Although at the surface your future might look fine, you've already put a full stop to the joy and value of life.
Don't let yourself go through so much pain and burden just to pursue a life of illusionary happiness.
Wednesday, 16 November 2016
Cultivate Your Heart to Welcome Happiness.
The joys and sorrow of meeting and departing with loved ones and the inevitable cycle of life are the most signifiant parts of life. The soul was sent upon the world to experience all these various feelings.
You might say: 'I only want happiness in my life!' But here's the problem, if you have yet to feel unhappy, how would you know how happy feels like?
For instance, when you're thirsty, you would be able to enjoy the thrill of gulping down a great amount of water, but when you're not, does it bring the exact sensation when you're thirsty?
You would only be able to realise how important water is when you're being abandoned in a desert. You would only be able to know how great it is to walk when you have lost your leg. You would only be able to know how great it is to see things when you have lost your sight. You would only be able to know how great it is to lead a healthy life when you're lying ill on the bed. You would only be able to know how great it is to work when you have lost your job.
Precisely! You would only learn how to treasure things when you have lost something.This is like not knowing how great it is to possess everything under the sun, a perfect body, a successful career, a perfect sight and the ability to breath freely.
However, when the day comes where you have lost something, you would say: 'I'm wiling to give everything I have just to restore my pair of legs, arms, eyes and a healthy body.' But why can't you treasure it when you possess it? You have never been grateful to all these given blessing that are right in front of your eyes; instead you recklessly seek for that so-called happiness that is farfetched and unachievable. Why would you do so?
If you think that those happiness that you have always been seeking are true happiness, why are you willing to give up those happiness in exchange of the blessings that you have once possessed?
You might say: 'I want to live happier life with less pain.' That shouldn't be a problem! I thought our religion has clearly taught us the method - 'the amount of happiness that you would possess relies on how much happiness you spread.' If you want to be wealthy and rich be a generous donor by donating to those in need, if you want to be knowledgeable be a respectable person by spreading your knowledge to everyone, if you want to have a healthy body be a merciful person by not killing or set living things free. However based on my perspective, I would say not killing is the best way.
Because if you would to set the bird free, worms would be killed as they are the source of food for birds. So what should you do? Set the birds or kill the worms?
The reason why Buddhism teaches us to not kill is in order to elicit our compassionate heart. Knowing the advantages that it brings lead you to doing good.
After some tie when you have been repeatedly doing it again and again, you would be able to feel and then eventually believe, when you believe you would be able to seek for your soul through the medium of religion. You would then realise the purpose of being sent upon the world is to seek the true meaning of love.
Religion is made up of some benevolent and compassionate higher realm deities, they want to make you seek for your true self (soul) through all the obstacles that you would face in the this mortal world, and to remind you it's time to get back to the 'soulful world' which is filled with compassion.
Don't go back and forth this vicious cycle of birth and death because you can't bring along a single thing with you.
I would also like to remind you that never ever use religion or deities as a stepping stone.
The Bodhisattva and other deities in Buddhism are the higher realm figures who are filled with benevolence and compassion. The reason why they are part of the higher realm is because they have been through all the obstacles in the mortal wold and they have apprehended the Law of Nature.
Being compassionate is also a part of their test and hence their compassion is an earnest emotion that doesn't contain any intention. This is true love.
Therefore whenever human cries over their lives, the Bodhisattva would feel the exact pain thus will make a trip to the mortal world and through 'human body' Bodhisattva will be an exemplary to guide and show human how to be as benevolent as Buddha.
However human has a certain lifespan and it is impossible for Bodhisattva to stay in the mortal world forever as it would break the law of nature, hence all Bodhisattva can do is to leave a book - the Sutra, to teach you how to depart from pain and seek for happiness.
Buddha is benevolent and has a big heart. Buddha never takes over your freewill and in Buddha's eyes it is not a must to become a Buddha.
If you enjoyed being human, Buddha encourages by teaching you the method to be reborn as human in the Sutra. Moreover, Buddha also teaches you the ways to not fall into the three lowly realms. Buddha grants total freewill to you to decide your life.
If you possess a big heart, you would possess everything. Hence Buddha says everything is made possible with a big heart.
Nothing can take you down if you possess a big heart, because love has the power to embrace all evil and take away all hatred.
Why do we have so many different Sutras? Why do we have so many different sects? This is because Buddha has also been accumulating knowledge since kindergarten up until graduate school.
Every person has their distinct characteristics and in a wold with people from all walks of life, Buddha has specifically designed 84 thousands famennians to assist everyone to pursue happiness by seeking the most suitable method in cultivating happiness.
Therefore while cultivating one might reach a point where contradiction kicks in, but these are not contradicts, these prove that you have improved hence kindergarten level materials are not suitable for you anymore.
A Buddhist monk invites you to join the Zen; the law of virtue asks you to specifically do changing; the law of discipline requests you to obey the commandments. At this moment, you would wonder which is truly beneficial.
Honestly, all these are beneficial, but you have to specialize in one only. Why?
For instance, if you want to do well in music, you have to pick between specializing music composition or musical instrument. This is exactly like selecting the right religion, Buddhism, Taoism, Christian, Islam or Hinduism? You have to make up your mind and select the right one for yourself and concentrate on practicing and realizing the religion's teachings.
If you have decided to specialize in the musical instrument aspect, you have to be determined in what specific instruments are you going to ace, you can't go around playing violin for a moment then piano and later guitar. Or maybe you have selected music composition, but for a moment you opt for classical, later modern. What success would it bring if you can't make up your mind on which to specialize in?
For a moment you thought the law of virtue is good so you went to learn, a second later you went to join the Zen and then it attracts you when you found out the law of discipline At the end of the day you realize there are so many rules to abide in Buddhism so you opt for Christianity instead, because it seems to have less rules. After believing in Christ, you realize before meal you have to pray and you have to sacrifice your only day off to go church services on Sunday. Fine! I'd rather not believe in anything!
It's fine if you don't believe a thing which I say and it's also perfectly alright if you don't believe the existence of soul, but with this attitude, I'm quite certain that you won't gain any true success or happiness in life.
The purpose of the existence of religion is to cultivate your concentration, concentration in meditating, changing and abstaining. Cultivate your concentration level until it reaches a point when you have made it as a habit, you would eventually realize all these higher realm deities want you to know that a truly enjoyable life is to please your soul but not the physical body.
It is known as realization when you're managed to seek for your true self. However you're still in confusion if you perceive the physical body as your true self.
Nonetheless I have to remind you, realizing and achieving Buddhahood are two different things. Realizing the soul as your true self is an applaud able act, but can you keep your feet on the ground when you're facing obstacles and misfortunes in life?
You clearly know the soul was sent to the world to be enriched, but can you resist when temptations are shone upon you? If you can, this shows you're using the determination that you've cultivated through your soul all these while.
A friend asked: 'Don't you think you're revealing God's secret? I replied: 'Those who forbid the act of revealing God's secret are liars/' I was able to share all these things because I have been studying diligently on various religions and sutras. These realizations dawned to me naturally after knowing more; hence these are nothing close to God's secret. Anyway, life wouldn't be any better even if I've told you everything I know, because all these strongly rely on your determination. Your determination would allow you to face the obstacles and misfortunes courageously and to overcome the desires and temptations in life. Thus there's nothing to be concerned about being punished for revealing God's secret.
In today's society humans are filled with karmas, it doesn't make any difference if I would to let you know the universe's secrets because there are so many things that human can't let go. If there's only one person who is enlightened and started self-cultivation after reading my book and successfully become a Buddha in future, I truly believe that I would be saved by the person even when I'm expelled to hell.
Religiously speaking, sacrificing for someone else's well-being is a good deed, hence there's nothing to fear. I clearly know what I want to do because I perceive and treat everything fro the perspective of my soul, thus I'm never lost.
In a nutshell, viewing things from the perspective of the soul would ensure a smooth sailing life. Fortunes and misfortunes are blessings after all and isn't it essential for the soul to realize how great it is to live as a human?
For instance, man are afraid of cockroaches but aren't the cockroaches who are supposed to be afraid of us? You can easily take their lives by squashing them into pieces, but they can't even touch a single strand of your hair.
Therefore if we were educated since young with the fact that cockroaches are harmless insects, would you still be afraid of it? However this fear has implanted deeply in your heart, hence for the rest of your lifetime you would be living in fear because of fear.
Don't forget! There's nothing to fear but fear itself.
Soul doesn't have fears, thus a person who has truly realized wouldn't be haunted by the ear of misfortunes, because the greater misfortune the greater the soul would be enriched.
Let's make friends instead of enemy with the devil, because the devil serves as an obstacle to make you better and stronger.
You are your greatest enemy and you need to defeat yourself by thinking wisely through your soul in order to depart from the mortal realm.
You might say: 'I only want happiness in my life!' But here's the problem, if you have yet to feel unhappy, how would you know how happy feels like?
For instance, when you're thirsty, you would be able to enjoy the thrill of gulping down a great amount of water, but when you're not, does it bring the exact sensation when you're thirsty?
You would only be able to realise how important water is when you're being abandoned in a desert. You would only be able to know how great it is to walk when you have lost your leg. You would only be able to know how great it is to see things when you have lost your sight. You would only be able to know how great it is to lead a healthy life when you're lying ill on the bed. You would only be able to know how great it is to work when you have lost your job.
Precisely! You would only learn how to treasure things when you have lost something.This is like not knowing how great it is to possess everything under the sun, a perfect body, a successful career, a perfect sight and the ability to breath freely.
However, when the day comes where you have lost something, you would say: 'I'm wiling to give everything I have just to restore my pair of legs, arms, eyes and a healthy body.' But why can't you treasure it when you possess it? You have never been grateful to all these given blessing that are right in front of your eyes; instead you recklessly seek for that so-called happiness that is farfetched and unachievable. Why would you do so?
If you think that those happiness that you have always been seeking are true happiness, why are you willing to give up those happiness in exchange of the blessings that you have once possessed?
You might say: 'I want to live happier life with less pain.' That shouldn't be a problem! I thought our religion has clearly taught us the method - 'the amount of happiness that you would possess relies on how much happiness you spread.' If you want to be wealthy and rich be a generous donor by donating to those in need, if you want to be knowledgeable be a respectable person by spreading your knowledge to everyone, if you want to have a healthy body be a merciful person by not killing or set living things free. However based on my perspective, I would say not killing is the best way.
Because if you would to set the bird free, worms would be killed as they are the source of food for birds. So what should you do? Set the birds or kill the worms?
The reason why Buddhism teaches us to not kill is in order to elicit our compassionate heart. Knowing the advantages that it brings lead you to doing good.
After some tie when you have been repeatedly doing it again and again, you would be able to feel and then eventually believe, when you believe you would be able to seek for your soul through the medium of religion. You would then realise the purpose of being sent upon the world is to seek the true meaning of love.
Religion is made up of some benevolent and compassionate higher realm deities, they want to make you seek for your true self (soul) through all the obstacles that you would face in the this mortal world, and to remind you it's time to get back to the 'soulful world' which is filled with compassion.
Don't go back and forth this vicious cycle of birth and death because you can't bring along a single thing with you.
I would also like to remind you that never ever use religion or deities as a stepping stone.
The Bodhisattva and other deities in Buddhism are the higher realm figures who are filled with benevolence and compassion. The reason why they are part of the higher realm is because they have been through all the obstacles in the mortal wold and they have apprehended the Law of Nature.
Being compassionate is also a part of their test and hence their compassion is an earnest emotion that doesn't contain any intention. This is true love.
Therefore whenever human cries over their lives, the Bodhisattva would feel the exact pain thus will make a trip to the mortal world and through 'human body' Bodhisattva will be an exemplary to guide and show human how to be as benevolent as Buddha.
However human has a certain lifespan and it is impossible for Bodhisattva to stay in the mortal world forever as it would break the law of nature, hence all Bodhisattva can do is to leave a book - the Sutra, to teach you how to depart from pain and seek for happiness.
Buddha is benevolent and has a big heart. Buddha never takes over your freewill and in Buddha's eyes it is not a must to become a Buddha.
If you enjoyed being human, Buddha encourages by teaching you the method to be reborn as human in the Sutra. Moreover, Buddha also teaches you the ways to not fall into the three lowly realms. Buddha grants total freewill to you to decide your life.
If you possess a big heart, you would possess everything. Hence Buddha says everything is made possible with a big heart.
Nothing can take you down if you possess a big heart, because love has the power to embrace all evil and take away all hatred.
Why do we have so many different Sutras? Why do we have so many different sects? This is because Buddha has also been accumulating knowledge since kindergarten up until graduate school.
Every person has their distinct characteristics and in a wold with people from all walks of life, Buddha has specifically designed 84 thousands famennians to assist everyone to pursue happiness by seeking the most suitable method in cultivating happiness.
Therefore while cultivating one might reach a point where contradiction kicks in, but these are not contradicts, these prove that you have improved hence kindergarten level materials are not suitable for you anymore.
A Buddhist monk invites you to join the Zen; the law of virtue asks you to specifically do changing; the law of discipline requests you to obey the commandments. At this moment, you would wonder which is truly beneficial.
Honestly, all these are beneficial, but you have to specialize in one only. Why?
For instance, if you want to do well in music, you have to pick between specializing music composition or musical instrument. This is exactly like selecting the right religion, Buddhism, Taoism, Christian, Islam or Hinduism? You have to make up your mind and select the right one for yourself and concentrate on practicing and realizing the religion's teachings.
If you have decided to specialize in the musical instrument aspect, you have to be determined in what specific instruments are you going to ace, you can't go around playing violin for a moment then piano and later guitar. Or maybe you have selected music composition, but for a moment you opt for classical, later modern. What success would it bring if you can't make up your mind on which to specialize in?
For a moment you thought the law of virtue is good so you went to learn, a second later you went to join the Zen and then it attracts you when you found out the law of discipline At the end of the day you realize there are so many rules to abide in Buddhism so you opt for Christianity instead, because it seems to have less rules. After believing in Christ, you realize before meal you have to pray and you have to sacrifice your only day off to go church services on Sunday. Fine! I'd rather not believe in anything!
It's fine if you don't believe a thing which I say and it's also perfectly alright if you don't believe the existence of soul, but with this attitude, I'm quite certain that you won't gain any true success or happiness in life.
The purpose of the existence of religion is to cultivate your concentration, concentration in meditating, changing and abstaining. Cultivate your concentration level until it reaches a point when you have made it as a habit, you would eventually realize all these higher realm deities want you to know that a truly enjoyable life is to please your soul but not the physical body.
It is known as realization when you're managed to seek for your true self. However you're still in confusion if you perceive the physical body as your true self.
Nonetheless I have to remind you, realizing and achieving Buddhahood are two different things. Realizing the soul as your true self is an applaud able act, but can you keep your feet on the ground when you're facing obstacles and misfortunes in life?
You clearly know the soul was sent to the world to be enriched, but can you resist when temptations are shone upon you? If you can, this shows you're using the determination that you've cultivated through your soul all these while.
A friend asked: 'Don't you think you're revealing God's secret? I replied: 'Those who forbid the act of revealing God's secret are liars/' I was able to share all these things because I have been studying diligently on various religions and sutras. These realizations dawned to me naturally after knowing more; hence these are nothing close to God's secret. Anyway, life wouldn't be any better even if I've told you everything I know, because all these strongly rely on your determination. Your determination would allow you to face the obstacles and misfortunes courageously and to overcome the desires and temptations in life. Thus there's nothing to be concerned about being punished for revealing God's secret.
In today's society humans are filled with karmas, it doesn't make any difference if I would to let you know the universe's secrets because there are so many things that human can't let go. If there's only one person who is enlightened and started self-cultivation after reading my book and successfully become a Buddha in future, I truly believe that I would be saved by the person even when I'm expelled to hell.
Religiously speaking, sacrificing for someone else's well-being is a good deed, hence there's nothing to fear. I clearly know what I want to do because I perceive and treat everything fro the perspective of my soul, thus I'm never lost.
In a nutshell, viewing things from the perspective of the soul would ensure a smooth sailing life. Fortunes and misfortunes are blessings after all and isn't it essential for the soul to realize how great it is to live as a human?
For instance, man are afraid of cockroaches but aren't the cockroaches who are supposed to be afraid of us? You can easily take their lives by squashing them into pieces, but they can't even touch a single strand of your hair.
Therefore if we were educated since young with the fact that cockroaches are harmless insects, would you still be afraid of it? However this fear has implanted deeply in your heart, hence for the rest of your lifetime you would be living in fear because of fear.
Don't forget! There's nothing to fear but fear itself.
Soul doesn't have fears, thus a person who has truly realized wouldn't be haunted by the ear of misfortunes, because the greater misfortune the greater the soul would be enriched.
Let's make friends instead of enemy with the devil, because the devil serves as an obstacle to make you better and stronger.
You are your greatest enemy and you need to defeat yourself by thinking wisely through your soul in order to depart from the mortal realm.
Tuesday, 8 November 2016
Let Go of Your Ego, Cast Off Your Superficial Mask and be Yourself.
Don't act beyond your ability because you would strain yourself. Don't act like you know when you don't because you would be bewildered and embarrassed.
We always act beyond our ability and at times doing intolerable things that we hate so much all because we want to protect, secure and uphold our ego.
Most people are not nosy in nature but they just have to show some concern because of their ego. Many known married couples have already lost interest in each other, but they still remain together because of their ego. Many people are not wealthy but they would act generously by treating others because of their ego. Many people are afraid that eating gluttonously in public might damage their image and this is also because of their ego. Why can't you just act naturally and be yourself in all these different aspects? This is all because of your ego. Ego can turn man into beast; hence all courteous and polite acts that you have seen might be all superficial.
Two knowledgeable professors were dining together in a restaurant. After their main course, they were served with two cups of coffee and two pieces of handmade cookies. However the cookies were not of the same size as it was handmade, hence Prof Lim politely asked Prof Zhang to savour the cookies first.
Prof Zhang replied: 'Okay thanks! Then I shall dive in!' and he naturally picked the larger cookie. Prof Lim was caught off guard with his obnoxious act and showed disgust by solemnly replying: 'I thought you're very well educated! You are extremely rude; you don't know a thing about basic manners!'
Prof Zhang smiled and asked: 'You said I was being rude, so if I would to let you pick first, which cookie would you pick?'
Prof Lim replied: 'I'm a well-educated knowledgeable man, so I'll definitely pick the smaller one.'
Prof Zhang smiled and replied: 'Didn't you get what you want? So what's the fuss now?'
When you are strong on the outside, you are weak on the inside, because you have to disguise your true self. However, if you are soft and flexible on the outside, you would be strong on the inside. Cast off your superficial mask as you would be able to get rid of the superficial acts in life and be your true self.
We always act beyond our ability and at times doing intolerable things that we hate so much all because we want to protect, secure and uphold our ego.
Most people are not nosy in nature but they just have to show some concern because of their ego. Many known married couples have already lost interest in each other, but they still remain together because of their ego. Many people are not wealthy but they would act generously by treating others because of their ego. Many people are afraid that eating gluttonously in public might damage their image and this is also because of their ego. Why can't you just act naturally and be yourself in all these different aspects? This is all because of your ego. Ego can turn man into beast; hence all courteous and polite acts that you have seen might be all superficial.
Two knowledgeable professors were dining together in a restaurant. After their main course, they were served with two cups of coffee and two pieces of handmade cookies. However the cookies were not of the same size as it was handmade, hence Prof Lim politely asked Prof Zhang to savour the cookies first.
Prof Zhang replied: 'Okay thanks! Then I shall dive in!' and he naturally picked the larger cookie. Prof Lim was caught off guard with his obnoxious act and showed disgust by solemnly replying: 'I thought you're very well educated! You are extremely rude; you don't know a thing about basic manners!'
Prof Zhang smiled and asked: 'You said I was being rude, so if I would to let you pick first, which cookie would you pick?'
Prof Lim replied: 'I'm a well-educated knowledgeable man, so I'll definitely pick the smaller one.'
Prof Zhang smiled and replied: 'Didn't you get what you want? So what's the fuss now?'
When you are strong on the outside, you are weak on the inside, because you have to disguise your true self. However, if you are soft and flexible on the outside, you would be strong on the inside. Cast off your superficial mask as you would be able to get rid of the superficial acts in life and be your true self.
In Actuality, We Only Need Air to Breath, Food and Water to Survive, a Roof to Shield, Clothes to Keep Us Warm and Vehicle to Transport Us From Places to Places. Everything that goes Beyond This - Branded Bags, Clothes or Watches, Diamond, Convertible Cards and Mansion are All Wants.
The problem is human always treat their wants as needs. The soul needs to relax and calm down, but the physical body wants more satisfaction. hence why are we living such a hectic life when it is a need to lead a relaxing and stress-free life? This is because of the physical body's wants and desires.
Therefore don't pin your wants as needs on to your children or family members. Never use your wants to create unwanted burdens on others.
In life. you have to know how to give and take. Take a timeout and wait for your soul to catch up with you, don't let your soul go missing in your lifelong journey. Being flexible is truly being strong; useless is truly useful.
Wind is shapeless and intangible; it has the ability to uproot huge trees but is unable to falter weeds.
Water nourishes the earth without expecting any returns, it runs underground without the need of being above all and it avoids obstacles by taking another route and its shape changes according to the container where it is being placed as it is shapeless. However, water also has the ability to pierce a stone and when water droplets converge into the sea its power is undefeatable as the heat couldn't dry the sea and the endless amount of water couldn't fill up the sea. This is truly being flexible and yet being truly strong. Hence, if you can keep a silent composure and be humble and flexible, you wouldn't be the talk of the town.
Being low profile doesn't bring any disadvantage as it only lessen the likeliness f others to be jealous about what you have and thus avoiding harm fro others.
Zen has been living in a town for several years. One day he popped the idea of moving to another place to Manny, he said, 'We have to prepare to move.' Manny replied, 'Why?' What's wrong? We have been staying here all these while and things are good, isn't it? People come here especially to personally witness your great ability!' Zen refuted, 'That's the reason why! I'm getting too much attention and I need to be extremely careful in every single thing I do these days, so let's leave before I get too well-known as I'm afraid that people might defame me.'
Once you become famous, you will lose your privacy. Have a look at those public figures of celebrities! They don't even possess the privacy to have a nice meal in a restaurant.
One wants to be known when they're not known, after they're known they come to realise that they're restricted to do everything they wish because all eyes are on them. When that moment comes, you would realise how great it is to lead an ordinary life.
Once there's a cypress forest with many tall and straight trees, all these 'elite' trees like to make fun of this one nameless tree because it is crooked and scarred. One day, the timber company bought over the piece of cypress forest for logging purpose, all of the 'elite' cypress trees were chopped down except the nameless crooked tree as it was able to secure its life with its unappealing appearance.
A house is being utilized and occupied for its vacant space rather than the material (wall) that built the house; a glass cup is utilized for its vacant space that has the ability to hold water rather than the glass itself. Hence if you remove the vacant spaces which are something useless, then those useful things (wall or glass itself) would also become useless.
Positioning it at the right place, the useless would become useful.
If you were to place an indigenous man in where we are living now, he would be useless, however if he is given the chance to work as a guide or a member of the rescue team in the forest, things would be different. If you were to place a law professor in the forest, he wouldn't be able to survive all alone in the wild, however if he is placed in the court, he would have the chance to unleash his abilities and become a brilliant lawyer or judge.
One day the Eyebrow, Eyes, Nose and Mouth are having a conversation. Eye said: 'I'm the most important because without me you guys wouldn't be able to see a thing.' Next, Nose refuted: 'I'm also equally important because without me you guys wouldn't be able to breathe.' Mouth hurriedly rebutted their claims: 'Without me, you guys can't even eat a single thing and would have been starved to death.' Eyebrow didn't utter a single word because it felt useless and worthless.
At this moment, Eye provokes Eyebrow and said: 'Have a look at you! you are such a useless trash! How on earth can you be placed above me?' After listening, Eyebrow quickly shifted below the Eye but something just doesn't seem right. Thus Nose took advantage and said: 'I'm still much more important than you, I think you should shift below me.' Upon listening Eyebrow shifted below as requested by Nose, however things just seem odd. At that moment, Mouth said: 'You're useless, things might look better if you're below me.' Eyebrow shifted below the Mouth but things look more peculiar than it is, eventually everyone decided to let Eyebrow to return to its original spot. Eyebrow might look useless at first glance but it actually functions as a shelter for the eyes, it blocks sweat and rain from irritating the eyes. Besides, it is also one of the most significant facial characteristic of human, if the eyebrow is absent, a man wouldn't look like a man anymore.
Decomposed leaves and birds' faeces seem useless but they made up fertile soil which provides nutrients for trees and plans to absorb. Trees produce the oxygen that we essentially need, they also provide wood to make houses and furniture and they provide us shelter during sunny days. A murky pond is able to nurture the beautiful pristine water lily. Hence nothing is useless as long as you are placed at the right place. If you feel useless or if someone regards you as something useless, don't be discouraged, you're just not placed in the right place.
Therefore don't pin your wants as needs on to your children or family members. Never use your wants to create unwanted burdens on others.
In life. you have to know how to give and take. Take a timeout and wait for your soul to catch up with you, don't let your soul go missing in your lifelong journey. Being flexible is truly being strong; useless is truly useful.
Wind is shapeless and intangible; it has the ability to uproot huge trees but is unable to falter weeds.
Water nourishes the earth without expecting any returns, it runs underground without the need of being above all and it avoids obstacles by taking another route and its shape changes according to the container where it is being placed as it is shapeless. However, water also has the ability to pierce a stone and when water droplets converge into the sea its power is undefeatable as the heat couldn't dry the sea and the endless amount of water couldn't fill up the sea. This is truly being flexible and yet being truly strong. Hence, if you can keep a silent composure and be humble and flexible, you wouldn't be the talk of the town.
Being low profile doesn't bring any disadvantage as it only lessen the likeliness f others to be jealous about what you have and thus avoiding harm fro others.
Zen has been living in a town for several years. One day he popped the idea of moving to another place to Manny, he said, 'We have to prepare to move.' Manny replied, 'Why?' What's wrong? We have been staying here all these while and things are good, isn't it? People come here especially to personally witness your great ability!' Zen refuted, 'That's the reason why! I'm getting too much attention and I need to be extremely careful in every single thing I do these days, so let's leave before I get too well-known as I'm afraid that people might defame me.'
Once you become famous, you will lose your privacy. Have a look at those public figures of celebrities! They don't even possess the privacy to have a nice meal in a restaurant.
One wants to be known when they're not known, after they're known they come to realise that they're restricted to do everything they wish because all eyes are on them. When that moment comes, you would realise how great it is to lead an ordinary life.
Once there's a cypress forest with many tall and straight trees, all these 'elite' trees like to make fun of this one nameless tree because it is crooked and scarred. One day, the timber company bought over the piece of cypress forest for logging purpose, all of the 'elite' cypress trees were chopped down except the nameless crooked tree as it was able to secure its life with its unappealing appearance.
A house is being utilized and occupied for its vacant space rather than the material (wall) that built the house; a glass cup is utilized for its vacant space that has the ability to hold water rather than the glass itself. Hence if you remove the vacant spaces which are something useless, then those useful things (wall or glass itself) would also become useless.
Positioning it at the right place, the useless would become useful.
If you were to place an indigenous man in where we are living now, he would be useless, however if he is given the chance to work as a guide or a member of the rescue team in the forest, things would be different. If you were to place a law professor in the forest, he wouldn't be able to survive all alone in the wild, however if he is placed in the court, he would have the chance to unleash his abilities and become a brilliant lawyer or judge.
One day the Eyebrow, Eyes, Nose and Mouth are having a conversation. Eye said: 'I'm the most important because without me you guys wouldn't be able to see a thing.' Next, Nose refuted: 'I'm also equally important because without me you guys wouldn't be able to breathe.' Mouth hurriedly rebutted their claims: 'Without me, you guys can't even eat a single thing and would have been starved to death.' Eyebrow didn't utter a single word because it felt useless and worthless.
At this moment, Eye provokes Eyebrow and said: 'Have a look at you! you are such a useless trash! How on earth can you be placed above me?' After listening, Eyebrow quickly shifted below the Eye but something just doesn't seem right. Thus Nose took advantage and said: 'I'm still much more important than you, I think you should shift below me.' Upon listening Eyebrow shifted below as requested by Nose, however things just seem odd. At that moment, Mouth said: 'You're useless, things might look better if you're below me.' Eyebrow shifted below the Mouth but things look more peculiar than it is, eventually everyone decided to let Eyebrow to return to its original spot. Eyebrow might look useless at first glance but it actually functions as a shelter for the eyes, it blocks sweat and rain from irritating the eyes. Besides, it is also one of the most significant facial characteristic of human, if the eyebrow is absent, a man wouldn't look like a man anymore.
Decomposed leaves and birds' faeces seem useless but they made up fertile soil which provides nutrients for trees and plans to absorb. Trees produce the oxygen that we essentially need, they also provide wood to make houses and furniture and they provide us shelter during sunny days. A murky pond is able to nurture the beautiful pristine water lily. Hence nothing is useless as long as you are placed at the right place. If you feel useless or if someone regards you as something useless, don't be discouraged, you're just not placed in the right place.
Friday, 2 May 2014
No Pain, No gain - No Sacrifices, No Gain
If life is made up of a round pie and the pie itself represents 100%, then you are the one who decides the allocation of marks on the pie. What do I actually mean? Everyone naturally owns 100%, if you treasure money, you would allocate 70% to earn money and the remaining 30% to share among your family, hobbies and entertainment. In short, this means that you need to spend about 70% of time and effort on your work and sacrifice your time with your leisure and your family.
If you treasure your time with your family, you would need to sacrifice your working hours in order to spend more time on your family. Everything relies on what you give and what you take.
Hence people who equally allocate a quarter of their time onto their career, entertainment, family and society are the smartest out of all. Knowing how to give and take in life would shape a 100% complete pie.
Once, a billionaire saw a beggar taking an afternoon nap in front of his house. He went forward and asked, "Why don't you seek for a proper job?" The beggar ignored the question and asked, "Why do you work?" The billionaire replied, "I work because I wan to ear money." The beggar continued, "Then, why do you need to earn money?" The billionaire replied, "I want to live a carefree life after my retirement!" The beggar smirked and said, "Then I don't think there's a need for me to look for a job because I'm thoroughly enjoying my carefree life!"
The beggar gave up his reputation, status, family and even his pride; hence his life is naturally free from burdens which allow him to live a carefree life. However, we're definitely not implying the idea of taking up the career of a beggar. Instead what you need to do is to truly comprehend on how to 'give' away your mentality of gain and loss and to understand the idea of 'you don't need to own to enjoy'. By doing so, we can possess more compared to the beggar and at the same time live a carefree life.
The current society is very strange, everyone is discussing on how to de-stress themselves and how to lead a carefree life but still they are all immersed in their own busy lives.
During the day they occupied themselves with all the mundane tasks, such as going to work, class, meetings, working overtime and dealing with endless household chores. Finally after work, they would occupy themselves with shopping, gatherings and countless drinking sessions. When it's holiday, they would occupy themselves with outing plans, which they normally spend more time in the car instead of having fun.
When you're expecting your working hours to end, why filled your schedule with all the unnecessary social occasions? When you're expecting your holidays that allows you to relax and unwind, why filled your schedule again with countless road trips that would most likely exhaust yourself?
You work so hard to live, but you have never worked hard to lead a good life every day!
Take a look at the dog that is lazily lying under the sun sunbathing, feel the breeze that touches against your cheeks and look at the people who are idly strolling down the park, everything is so calming and relaxing. So why can't you slow down? Slow down your pace and allow your body, mind and soul to feel the ease.
I am a freelancer hence every now and then when I've earned a sufficient amount of money that could supply me for a year; I'll slow down my pace and lead a leisure and idle life for about 6 months. However, my friends could never agree with me. As time passed, they are still very into their career and when they have accumulated a significant amount of fortune, they would always plan on how to double the amount of money. Unfortunately they always ended up losing money through investment, gambling or sometimes being cheated by business partners. In the end, not only they have to bear the losses, but also have to pay their debts, eventually making themselves more miserable than I am. In some cases, those who have succeeded in their investment have to work even harder than how they normally do in order to sustain or improve their current financial status. Today, after ten years, all the friends have realized and told me, "You are smart because you know how to live life!"
Once there's a Yunnan businessman who hired a group of young Hmong porters to carry his goods to another town's market in order to run a new business. These porters are known to be economical, efficient, dedicated and hardy as they can travel for 3 days without having any rest.
However during the day, all the porters stopped moving, the businessman thought, 'Probably they have used up all their strength!' He told the porters, 'It's okay, take a good rest since everyone is tired, we can continue the journey tomorrow instead.' Surprisingly the porters replied, 'To be frank, we aren't really worn out. But since we have been in a rush for days, our souls just can't keep up with us. We are afraid that our souls might get lost in the woods, so we're sorry that we might need to slow down and wait for our souls to catch up with us.' At that instant, the businessman felt like he had a valuable life lesson.
For instance, a successful boss doesn't need to take care of every single thing instead he/she needs to give up certain things in order to be successful and responsible boss; a successful manager doesn't need to get concerned with every single detail instead he/she needs to know how to disseminate tasks. By doing so you would be able to save time and energy and yet work efficiently and happily.
I would also like to remind parents to let their children be as they are. If there are things that we aren't supposed to butt in, please refrain; if there are things that we aren't supposed to do, please refrain; if there are things that are not meant for them, it is pointless if you would to leave a great amount of inheritance for them, because in the end they would still spend it recklessly and there goes your money! You should be grateful with the fact that your kids are managing well in school. You can help them by nurturing and assisting them into their specific interest, but there's no need to send them to endless tuition classes after school just because you are afraid they might not stand a chance to shine in the society. You are not creating a conducive childhood life for your kids; instead you are creating a mentally and physically stressed environment for your kids. Moreover why put yourself through the extra financial stress that you already have?
You need to clearly differentiate what are 'need' and 'want'. Needs are life necessities, things you have to have. Wants are luxuries, things you would like to have.
If you treasure your time with your family, you would need to sacrifice your working hours in order to spend more time on your family. Everything relies on what you give and what you take.
Hence people who equally allocate a quarter of their time onto their career, entertainment, family and society are the smartest out of all. Knowing how to give and take in life would shape a 100% complete pie.
Once, a billionaire saw a beggar taking an afternoon nap in front of his house. He went forward and asked, "Why don't you seek for a proper job?" The beggar ignored the question and asked, "Why do you work?" The billionaire replied, "I work because I wan to ear money." The beggar continued, "Then, why do you need to earn money?" The billionaire replied, "I want to live a carefree life after my retirement!" The beggar smirked and said, "Then I don't think there's a need for me to look for a job because I'm thoroughly enjoying my carefree life!"
The beggar gave up his reputation, status, family and even his pride; hence his life is naturally free from burdens which allow him to live a carefree life. However, we're definitely not implying the idea of taking up the career of a beggar. Instead what you need to do is to truly comprehend on how to 'give' away your mentality of gain and loss and to understand the idea of 'you don't need to own to enjoy'. By doing so, we can possess more compared to the beggar and at the same time live a carefree life.
The current society is very strange, everyone is discussing on how to de-stress themselves and how to lead a carefree life but still they are all immersed in their own busy lives.
During the day they occupied themselves with all the mundane tasks, such as going to work, class, meetings, working overtime and dealing with endless household chores. Finally after work, they would occupy themselves with shopping, gatherings and countless drinking sessions. When it's holiday, they would occupy themselves with outing plans, which they normally spend more time in the car instead of having fun.
When you're expecting your working hours to end, why filled your schedule with all the unnecessary social occasions? When you're expecting your holidays that allows you to relax and unwind, why filled your schedule again with countless road trips that would most likely exhaust yourself?
You work so hard to live, but you have never worked hard to lead a good life every day!
Take a look at the dog that is lazily lying under the sun sunbathing, feel the breeze that touches against your cheeks and look at the people who are idly strolling down the park, everything is so calming and relaxing. So why can't you slow down? Slow down your pace and allow your body, mind and soul to feel the ease.
I am a freelancer hence every now and then when I've earned a sufficient amount of money that could supply me for a year; I'll slow down my pace and lead a leisure and idle life for about 6 months. However, my friends could never agree with me. As time passed, they are still very into their career and when they have accumulated a significant amount of fortune, they would always plan on how to double the amount of money. Unfortunately they always ended up losing money through investment, gambling or sometimes being cheated by business partners. In the end, not only they have to bear the losses, but also have to pay their debts, eventually making themselves more miserable than I am. In some cases, those who have succeeded in their investment have to work even harder than how they normally do in order to sustain or improve their current financial status. Today, after ten years, all the friends have realized and told me, "You are smart because you know how to live life!"
Once there's a Yunnan businessman who hired a group of young Hmong porters to carry his goods to another town's market in order to run a new business. These porters are known to be economical, efficient, dedicated and hardy as they can travel for 3 days without having any rest.
However during the day, all the porters stopped moving, the businessman thought, 'Probably they have used up all their strength!' He told the porters, 'It's okay, take a good rest since everyone is tired, we can continue the journey tomorrow instead.' Surprisingly the porters replied, 'To be frank, we aren't really worn out. But since we have been in a rush for days, our souls just can't keep up with us. We are afraid that our souls might get lost in the woods, so we're sorry that we might need to slow down and wait for our souls to catch up with us.' At that instant, the businessman felt like he had a valuable life lesson.
For instance, a successful boss doesn't need to take care of every single thing instead he/she needs to give up certain things in order to be successful and responsible boss; a successful manager doesn't need to get concerned with every single detail instead he/she needs to know how to disseminate tasks. By doing so you would be able to save time and energy and yet work efficiently and happily.
I would also like to remind parents to let their children be as they are. If there are things that we aren't supposed to butt in, please refrain; if there are things that we aren't supposed to do, please refrain; if there are things that are not meant for them, it is pointless if you would to leave a great amount of inheritance for them, because in the end they would still spend it recklessly and there goes your money! You should be grateful with the fact that your kids are managing well in school. You can help them by nurturing and assisting them into their specific interest, but there's no need to send them to endless tuition classes after school just because you are afraid they might not stand a chance to shine in the society. You are not creating a conducive childhood life for your kids; instead you are creating a mentally and physically stressed environment for your kids. Moreover why put yourself through the extra financial stress that you already have?
You need to clearly differentiate what are 'need' and 'want'. Needs are life necessities, things you have to have. Wants are luxuries, things you would like to have.
Thursday, 1 May 2014
In a Mirror is Where We Find a Reflection of Our Appearances, but in a Heart is Where We Find a Reflection of Our Soul.
If there are no construction laborers, who is there to build your multimillion dollars house? If there are no car technicians, who is there to fix your convertible car's engine? If there are no subordinates who are willing to work diligently for you, how is it possible for you to be where you are today? If there are no farmers, who is there to provide you with food supplies? If there are no waste collectors or janitors, who are there to keep your place and environment, clean?
The world would be free from nonsensical rumors if we were to embrace everything in life with the 'impartiality' mindset. Don't you agree?
Don't let your behavior expose your inner self.
A hotel jockey said, "Normally most of the rich people pay very little tip, instead, those who are less wealthy pay more. This is because those who are afraid of the unnecessary problems that might entail if they are being known wealthy. On the contrary, those who are less wealthy pay more tip for the sake of face-saving."
A deceitful shaman told Sam that he would be encountering an inevitable mishap that might threaten his life. The shaman said, "But things might change if you fulfill God's request by donating some money to the less fortunate." However, Sam was so poor that he couldn't do anything but to expect the worst day to come.
Weeks later the day came, Sam is still living fine like every other day. The simple-minded Sam was wondering what went wrong, so he decided to pay a visit to the shaman to clarify. He asked, "Didn't you say that I would face an inevitable great mishap?"
The shaman solemnly said, "You have to be grateful to me because I have been praying to the Lord to spare your life! Without me, it would be impossible for you to fend off this great mishap!"
Sam did a little thinking and said, "If it is evitable through praying why did you say I have to donate money in the very first place?" The shaman was irritated and yelled, "Believe or not it is all up to you,but why on earth would I lie to you? It is not as if I would gain anything if I did. All I wanted to do is to help you out and now you think I am deceiving you? Get lost!"
Look! This wily shaman made everything sounds so legit. Usually it's a lie when people try too hard to make everything sound extremely convincing. If you are truly humble, there's no need for you to emphasize the fact that you are humble. If it is a fact there's no need in emphasizing it, unless it is not the truth hence you need to explain and emphasize it repeatedly, because once you tell a lie, you need ten more lies to cover the lie.
Those who talk more are the culprits!
When one did wrong, one would speak loudly to portray that they are innocent in order to cover their wrongdoings as the thief catcher is the thief.
Probably you think there's a need to explain yourself to avoid misunderstanding. But let me tell you, there's no need to do so! Because when you are right and when someone misunderstand you, it's his/her loss but definitely not yours!
There are two hunters arguing intensely over a matter and they couldn't come to a conclusion. At that moment, a Buddhist monk passed by and so both of them agreed to seek for his conviction. They have also agreed on betting over their harvest as the loser has to give up his harvest to the winner.
The hunters were arguing about whether apple grows on the tree or on the ground.
After listening to the explanation of the both, the Buddhist monk gave all the harvest to the hunter who claimed that apple grows on the ground. The hunter left happily with a load of harvests. The other hunter who claimed that apple grows on the tree was extremely furious, he exclaimed, "What's wrong with you master? Even idiots know that apple grows on tree!" The Buddhist monk replied, "If that's the case, why are you arguing with someone who is even more idiotic than an idiot? Although he took all the harvest, he is going home with a lifelong of foolishness; although you lost all your harvest, you are going home with a valuable lesson." After listening, he has dawned with the lesson and left happily.
Sometimes it is better to be kind than to be right, we do not need an intelligent mind that speaks, but a patient heart that listen.
Remember! All we need to do is to do things right, there's no need to be the 'right person'. Trouble wouldn't have existed in the very first place, if no one fights to be the 'right person'. When you are right, you needn't prove anything to be one.
Knowing how to enjoy and value 'the possession of none', as 'the possession of none' truly possessing.
When one possesses money, one fear of death; when one possesses power, one fear of losing their status.
The things you own end up owning you.
For instance, if you own a convertible car, the car you own would end up owing you because you need to service it, polish it and purchase a car insurance for it, moreover, you need to worry whether the car would be stolen or tow if it was left at an illegal parking but that's definitely not the end of your commitment towards your car, you need to spend the time and money to wash your car, to pay parking tickets, to pay car license, to pay for petrol and sometimes you might need to pay the occasional summons. So tell me, who owns who?
Let's say you don't own a car, so subways, buses, trains, and taxis are all at your service and the great thing is you needn't commit or bear any responsibility on them. This is just like possessing nothing but yet you possess it.
When you possess a good career, self-owned house, a nice convertible car, a great wife and a bunch of adorable kids, you are bound to sacrifice for every single one of them as you wouldn't be able to live a stress-free life. You would say these are all too burdensome, but aren't these what you have longed to possess?
Learn how to be content. This is like switching on torchlight in a pitch dark room. When the torchlight is your only light source, the torchlight itself seems to be able to illuminate the entire room. But when the room is already illuminated with equipped lights, the torchlight would be insignificant and no longer plays its role. The insignificance of torchlight reflects how we treasure things, when you possess more, things would become insignificant but when you possess a handful of things, the limited things you own are insignificant to you.
Back in the day, hanging out with friends in McDonalds is one of the most blissful moments. However when we dine in high-end classy restaurants now, we would make ourselves critical by complaining the dishes or the attitude of waiters/waitresses. When one possesses more, one would never be pleased because one expects the impossible.
This is also like having a monthly salary of 2000. If your employer gave you an increment of 500, you would most likely be overwhelmed. But if you earn a whopping 30,000 a month, an increment of 1000 doesn't make any difference to you, isn't it? Let's think over this, do you think you really need to possess this much in life?
The craze and desire of a consumer or in some cases shopaholic has consumed your soul. Swiping credit cards is exactly what people do in this era, spending future money or spending money that one doesn't have. All of these stem from the impulse thought of showing off branded clothes, cards, watches and what not, but in the end aren't you the one who bear for all the bills? Various banks would be hunting you down for your card debts and eventually you resort to absconding or when situation has gotten worse you resort to committing suicide.
Let me ask how long does the happiness last with merely showing off branded goods?
Ironically, all these credit card debt slaves would blame the bank officials for being inhumane in collecting debts instead of repenting on their vanities. Nowadays, politicians and the media only aim to please the people and claimed to have hear the people's voices. However, if everyone insists to be a debt slave, when a bank's debt exceeds its capital and the domino effect happens to the rest of the banks and eventually causes national financial crisis, who should we point our fingers to? When we are facing national financial crisis, don't you think if would affect the entire nation? Furthermore, would it be fair to those who lead a debt-free life to suffer with the fellow debt slaves?
Although bank officials can somehow be mean when it comes to collecting debt, are you acting humane as well? You want others to be considerate to you, but have you ever take into account the future of others and yourself?
The current society is in such a great mess. Some debt slaves would even make up absurd excuses like, "it is all because of our poor economy, which has left us with no choice to resort to." Oh people pleas come back to your senses! The well-being of a country's economy strongly relies on the nation and the government, how can you expect banks to be solely responsible for this?
Most of the people who live in a huge mansion never have the chance to enjoy what they earn due to their busy business commitments. Instead their maids are the one who enjoyed the most, they have the leisure to enjoy every single facility in the house and at times the maid really seems to be like the owner of the house rather than the actual owner. You can only sleep on one bed at a time, regardless how many beds you have; you can only wear one pair of shoes at a time, regardless how many pairs of shoes you have; you can only held onto one bag at a time, regardless how many branded bags you have so why torture yourself?
There's a billionaire who has precious luminous pearl. Because of its value, the billionaire is always afraid of theft hence he has never brought it out, besides he has also hired a team of securities to guard the pearl.
One day the billionaire wanted to show off his precious possession to a wise man, after viewing the pearl, the wise man said, "Thanks for the gift!"
The billionaire hurriedly replied, "I'm sorry but I didn't intend to give it to you!" The wise man smiled and replied, "You have allowed me to 'admire' the beauty of your pearl, isn't it equivalent to granting me a gift? Besides admiring its beauty what else can we do with a luminous pearl? You don't need to own beauty to admire beauty, isn't it?"
Wealth can't be measured by how much we possess, instead it is measured by how little we want. One who lives on needs wouldn't think that they lead a poor and miserable life; one who lives on wants would always think they lead a less wealthy life.
Take your time and ponder the meaning of your truly needs.
To be rich, is not what you have in your bank account, but what you have in your HEART
The world would be free from nonsensical rumors if we were to embrace everything in life with the 'impartiality' mindset. Don't you agree?
Don't let your behavior expose your inner self.
A hotel jockey said, "Normally most of the rich people pay very little tip, instead, those who are less wealthy pay more. This is because those who are afraid of the unnecessary problems that might entail if they are being known wealthy. On the contrary, those who are less wealthy pay more tip for the sake of face-saving."
A deceitful shaman told Sam that he would be encountering an inevitable mishap that might threaten his life. The shaman said, "But things might change if you fulfill God's request by donating some money to the less fortunate." However, Sam was so poor that he couldn't do anything but to expect the worst day to come.
Weeks later the day came, Sam is still living fine like every other day. The simple-minded Sam was wondering what went wrong, so he decided to pay a visit to the shaman to clarify. He asked, "Didn't you say that I would face an inevitable great mishap?"
The shaman solemnly said, "You have to be grateful to me because I have been praying to the Lord to spare your life! Without me, it would be impossible for you to fend off this great mishap!"
Sam did a little thinking and said, "If it is evitable through praying why did you say I have to donate money in the very first place?" The shaman was irritated and yelled, "Believe or not it is all up to you,but why on earth would I lie to you? It is not as if I would gain anything if I did. All I wanted to do is to help you out and now you think I am deceiving you? Get lost!"
Look! This wily shaman made everything sounds so legit. Usually it's a lie when people try too hard to make everything sound extremely convincing. If you are truly humble, there's no need for you to emphasize the fact that you are humble. If it is a fact there's no need in emphasizing it, unless it is not the truth hence you need to explain and emphasize it repeatedly, because once you tell a lie, you need ten more lies to cover the lie.
Those who talk more are the culprits!
When one did wrong, one would speak loudly to portray that they are innocent in order to cover their wrongdoings as the thief catcher is the thief.
Probably you think there's a need to explain yourself to avoid misunderstanding. But let me tell you, there's no need to do so! Because when you are right and when someone misunderstand you, it's his/her loss but definitely not yours!
There are two hunters arguing intensely over a matter and they couldn't come to a conclusion. At that moment, a Buddhist monk passed by and so both of them agreed to seek for his conviction. They have also agreed on betting over their harvest as the loser has to give up his harvest to the winner.
The hunters were arguing about whether apple grows on the tree or on the ground.
After listening to the explanation of the both, the Buddhist monk gave all the harvest to the hunter who claimed that apple grows on the ground. The hunter left happily with a load of harvests. The other hunter who claimed that apple grows on the tree was extremely furious, he exclaimed, "What's wrong with you master? Even idiots know that apple grows on tree!" The Buddhist monk replied, "If that's the case, why are you arguing with someone who is even more idiotic than an idiot? Although he took all the harvest, he is going home with a lifelong of foolishness; although you lost all your harvest, you are going home with a valuable lesson." After listening, he has dawned with the lesson and left happily.
Sometimes it is better to be kind than to be right, we do not need an intelligent mind that speaks, but a patient heart that listen.
Remember! All we need to do is to do things right, there's no need to be the 'right person'. Trouble wouldn't have existed in the very first place, if no one fights to be the 'right person'. When you are right, you needn't prove anything to be one.
Knowing how to enjoy and value 'the possession of none', as 'the possession of none' truly possessing.
When one possesses money, one fear of death; when one possesses power, one fear of losing their status.
The things you own end up owning you.
For instance, if you own a convertible car, the car you own would end up owing you because you need to service it, polish it and purchase a car insurance for it, moreover, you need to worry whether the car would be stolen or tow if it was left at an illegal parking but that's definitely not the end of your commitment towards your car, you need to spend the time and money to wash your car, to pay parking tickets, to pay car license, to pay for petrol and sometimes you might need to pay the occasional summons. So tell me, who owns who?
Let's say you don't own a car, so subways, buses, trains, and taxis are all at your service and the great thing is you needn't commit or bear any responsibility on them. This is just like possessing nothing but yet you possess it.
When you possess a good career, self-owned house, a nice convertible car, a great wife and a bunch of adorable kids, you are bound to sacrifice for every single one of them as you wouldn't be able to live a stress-free life. You would say these are all too burdensome, but aren't these what you have longed to possess?
Learn how to be content. This is like switching on torchlight in a pitch dark room. When the torchlight is your only light source, the torchlight itself seems to be able to illuminate the entire room. But when the room is already illuminated with equipped lights, the torchlight would be insignificant and no longer plays its role. The insignificance of torchlight reflects how we treasure things, when you possess more, things would become insignificant but when you possess a handful of things, the limited things you own are insignificant to you.
Back in the day, hanging out with friends in McDonalds is one of the most blissful moments. However when we dine in high-end classy restaurants now, we would make ourselves critical by complaining the dishes or the attitude of waiters/waitresses. When one possesses more, one would never be pleased because one expects the impossible.
This is also like having a monthly salary of 2000. If your employer gave you an increment of 500, you would most likely be overwhelmed. But if you earn a whopping 30,000 a month, an increment of 1000 doesn't make any difference to you, isn't it? Let's think over this, do you think you really need to possess this much in life?
The craze and desire of a consumer or in some cases shopaholic has consumed your soul. Swiping credit cards is exactly what people do in this era, spending future money or spending money that one doesn't have. All of these stem from the impulse thought of showing off branded clothes, cards, watches and what not, but in the end aren't you the one who bear for all the bills? Various banks would be hunting you down for your card debts and eventually you resort to absconding or when situation has gotten worse you resort to committing suicide.
Let me ask how long does the happiness last with merely showing off branded goods?
Ironically, all these credit card debt slaves would blame the bank officials for being inhumane in collecting debts instead of repenting on their vanities. Nowadays, politicians and the media only aim to please the people and claimed to have hear the people's voices. However, if everyone insists to be a debt slave, when a bank's debt exceeds its capital and the domino effect happens to the rest of the banks and eventually causes national financial crisis, who should we point our fingers to? When we are facing national financial crisis, don't you think if would affect the entire nation? Furthermore, would it be fair to those who lead a debt-free life to suffer with the fellow debt slaves?
Although bank officials can somehow be mean when it comes to collecting debt, are you acting humane as well? You want others to be considerate to you, but have you ever take into account the future of others and yourself?
The current society is in such a great mess. Some debt slaves would even make up absurd excuses like, "it is all because of our poor economy, which has left us with no choice to resort to." Oh people pleas come back to your senses! The well-being of a country's economy strongly relies on the nation and the government, how can you expect banks to be solely responsible for this?
Most of the people who live in a huge mansion never have the chance to enjoy what they earn due to their busy business commitments. Instead their maids are the one who enjoyed the most, they have the leisure to enjoy every single facility in the house and at times the maid really seems to be like the owner of the house rather than the actual owner. You can only sleep on one bed at a time, regardless how many beds you have; you can only wear one pair of shoes at a time, regardless how many pairs of shoes you have; you can only held onto one bag at a time, regardless how many branded bags you have so why torture yourself?
There's a billionaire who has precious luminous pearl. Because of its value, the billionaire is always afraid of theft hence he has never brought it out, besides he has also hired a team of securities to guard the pearl.
One day the billionaire wanted to show off his precious possession to a wise man, after viewing the pearl, the wise man said, "Thanks for the gift!"
The billionaire hurriedly replied, "I'm sorry but I didn't intend to give it to you!" The wise man smiled and replied, "You have allowed me to 'admire' the beauty of your pearl, isn't it equivalent to granting me a gift? Besides admiring its beauty what else can we do with a luminous pearl? You don't need to own beauty to admire beauty, isn't it?"
Wealth can't be measured by how much we possess, instead it is measured by how little we want. One who lives on needs wouldn't think that they lead a poor and miserable life; one who lives on wants would always think they lead a less wealthy life.
Take your time and ponder the meaning of your truly needs.
To be rich, is not what you have in your bank account, but what you have in your HEART
Monday, 28 April 2014
Grant Yourself a Chance to Break Your 'Life Code'
A company is undergoing layoffs and two of the assistants of the director are listed in the laid off list. One is known as 'Destiny' and the other is 'Chance'. They were notified in advance that this would be their last month. However, both of them are known to have great working etiquette as their abilities are acknowledged by their fellow colleagues. Moreover, both of them get along well with everyone in the office, hence, the colleagues felt sorry for them.
After being notified, 'Destiny' was emotionally affected. She was unstable and started to show her temperamental side by shouting and yelling to her colleagues. Furthermore, she thought to herself, 'the company has decided to fire me anyway, what difference it makes if I put in more effort?' Since then she did all of the work-related tasks hastily and eventually caused her fellow colleagues to dislike her.
In contrary, after receiving the news, 'Chance' thought to herself, I only left one month to bid farewell to my working life and I don't think it is possible for me to seek another job in the future. I have to cherish the remaining time I have by working diligently without causing any future problem to my colleagues and also spend more time with all the fellow colleagues that have been through thick and thin with me.
One month later, 'Destiny' left the company as planned. However, 'Chance' bright and positive attitude has brought all the colleagues to pledge for her stay and eventually the director decided to let her stay and promoted her as his personal assistant.
You can only grant yourself the 'chance' to truly change your destiny by changing the value of your attitude.
Have you ever tried playing Monopoly? There are both chance and community chest (destiny) cards in it. I would decide and embrace my destiny with the 'attitude' that I opt to create 'opportunities' in life. How about you? Are you still thinking of being controlled by destiny? Are you still going to be the coward who surrenders to all the obstacles in life?
How are you supposed to totally chance the value of your attitude? There's only one way, never ever live your life by solely relying on 'the senses of your physical body'. Remember to ponder your life with your 'spirituality' by allowing your soul to entirely embrace destiny and at the same time create opportunities to change your destiny.
You would only be able to fulfill the soul's mission to mortal by doing so and eventually granting your soul freedom.
Now I have revealed everything about the universe and life, if you are still stubborn and insist on your own way, all I can say is "Suit yourself because you're on your own now!"
What does it mean to enjoy the feelings that are brought by the 'mentality of differentiation' with the soul that doesn't possess the 'mentality of differentiation'? We are human and as a human I know it is impossible to live life without any feeling or emotion.
If that's the case, we can just approach things in another method! Go ahead and 'enjoy' all the feelings that the good and bad, fortune and misfortune and happiness and pain bring.
Precisely like the aforementioned assistant 'Chance' as she enjoys every given moment. We are not supposed to determine our lives with the amount of successes and failures in life. If you have never experienced the feeling of falling out of love, how would you have the 'opportunity' to experience the elated feeling of falling in love once more? If you have never experience any pain in life, you would never have the chance to truly know the feeling of happiness.
The 921earthquake in Taiwan has also taught us the same lesson. If you have never tasted a rotten apple, you would not appreciate a fresh apple. You have to experience life to understand life. If misfortunes never happened, how would you have the chance to realize how happy and perfect your life was.
All the misfortunes in life are here to make you realize the existence of happiness, but on the contrary, all the happiness in life awaits you to discover. The only way to eliminate all the pains and misfortunes in life is to embrace them with love.
If you would live solely according to the feelings that the physical body tells, you would never ever know the true value and essence of life. Only people who live with their soul could wisely utilize the feelings that the physical body gives to live in the World with Ultimate Bliss by embracing all fortunes and misfortunes as happiness.
A true devoted monk devotes through his heart. One who knows how to enjoy life from the sou;'s perspective would be able to combine his/her heart and soul and subsequently combines it with the physical body as one. This person is truly enlighten as he/she is fully developed in the aspects of body, mind and soul. Heaven or the world with ultimate bliss is not only restricted for monk, nun or god's disciples, however, one can easily go to the 'mortal heaven' when one truly comprehends how to merge both soul and body as one.
You are helping yourself when you assist others to succeed,
You perceive yourself lowly when you look down upon others.
There's a rich minister who has a daughter. His daughter fell in love with a local farmer but he is strongly against their relationship because he despises the man's occupation as a farmer.
One day, the farmer went to the minister's house to ask for his permission to marry his daughter. The minister rudely replied, 'This is ridiculous! How would my daughter marry to a person from the lower class? Get lost and don't forget to take your dowry that doesn't worth a penny when you leave!"
The farmer went home feeling humiliated and depressed. One year later, due to natural disaster, the country was in famine. All the farmers who were able to harvest hid all their supplies, because they themselves were afraid that it wouldn't even be sufficient for them to sustain hence causing some civilians starved to death as there were no food supplies. The minister's family has also fun out of food supplies as they have been starving for days.
The situation left the farmer with no choice, so he turned up to the minister's house with buckets of rice to help the family. At that moment, the minister felt terribly ashamed and sorry, he thought to himself, "Couldn't have imagined someone who I regarded as a lowly person to save me and my family lives." The minister sincerely apologized to the farmer and consequently gives his full consent to allow the marriage between him and his daughter.
After being notified, 'Destiny' was emotionally affected. She was unstable and started to show her temperamental side by shouting and yelling to her colleagues. Furthermore, she thought to herself, 'the company has decided to fire me anyway, what difference it makes if I put in more effort?' Since then she did all of the work-related tasks hastily and eventually caused her fellow colleagues to dislike her.
In contrary, after receiving the news, 'Chance' thought to herself, I only left one month to bid farewell to my working life and I don't think it is possible for me to seek another job in the future. I have to cherish the remaining time I have by working diligently without causing any future problem to my colleagues and also spend more time with all the fellow colleagues that have been through thick and thin with me.
One month later, 'Destiny' left the company as planned. However, 'Chance' bright and positive attitude has brought all the colleagues to pledge for her stay and eventually the director decided to let her stay and promoted her as his personal assistant.
You can only grant yourself the 'chance' to truly change your destiny by changing the value of your attitude.
Have you ever tried playing Monopoly? There are both chance and community chest (destiny) cards in it. I would decide and embrace my destiny with the 'attitude' that I opt to create 'opportunities' in life. How about you? Are you still thinking of being controlled by destiny? Are you still going to be the coward who surrenders to all the obstacles in life?
How are you supposed to totally chance the value of your attitude? There's only one way, never ever live your life by solely relying on 'the senses of your physical body'. Remember to ponder your life with your 'spirituality' by allowing your soul to entirely embrace destiny and at the same time create opportunities to change your destiny.
You would only be able to fulfill the soul's mission to mortal by doing so and eventually granting your soul freedom.
Now I have revealed everything about the universe and life, if you are still stubborn and insist on your own way, all I can say is "Suit yourself because you're on your own now!"
What does it mean to enjoy the feelings that are brought by the 'mentality of differentiation' with the soul that doesn't possess the 'mentality of differentiation'? We are human and as a human I know it is impossible to live life without any feeling or emotion.
If that's the case, we can just approach things in another method! Go ahead and 'enjoy' all the feelings that the good and bad, fortune and misfortune and happiness and pain bring.
Precisely like the aforementioned assistant 'Chance' as she enjoys every given moment. We are not supposed to determine our lives with the amount of successes and failures in life. If you have never experienced the feeling of falling out of love, how would you have the 'opportunity' to experience the elated feeling of falling in love once more? If you have never experience any pain in life, you would never have the chance to truly know the feeling of happiness.
The 921earthquake in Taiwan has also taught us the same lesson. If you have never tasted a rotten apple, you would not appreciate a fresh apple. You have to experience life to understand life. If misfortunes never happened, how would you have the chance to realize how happy and perfect your life was.
All the misfortunes in life are here to make you realize the existence of happiness, but on the contrary, all the happiness in life awaits you to discover. The only way to eliminate all the pains and misfortunes in life is to embrace them with love.
If you would live solely according to the feelings that the physical body tells, you would never ever know the true value and essence of life. Only people who live with their soul could wisely utilize the feelings that the physical body gives to live in the World with Ultimate Bliss by embracing all fortunes and misfortunes as happiness.
A true devoted monk devotes through his heart. One who knows how to enjoy life from the sou;'s perspective would be able to combine his/her heart and soul and subsequently combines it with the physical body as one. This person is truly enlighten as he/she is fully developed in the aspects of body, mind and soul. Heaven or the world with ultimate bliss is not only restricted for monk, nun or god's disciples, however, one can easily go to the 'mortal heaven' when one truly comprehends how to merge both soul and body as one.
You are helping yourself when you assist others to succeed,
You perceive yourself lowly when you look down upon others.
There's a rich minister who has a daughter. His daughter fell in love with a local farmer but he is strongly against their relationship because he despises the man's occupation as a farmer.
One day, the farmer went to the minister's house to ask for his permission to marry his daughter. The minister rudely replied, 'This is ridiculous! How would my daughter marry to a person from the lower class? Get lost and don't forget to take your dowry that doesn't worth a penny when you leave!"
The farmer went home feeling humiliated and depressed. One year later, due to natural disaster, the country was in famine. All the farmers who were able to harvest hid all their supplies, because they themselves were afraid that it wouldn't even be sufficient for them to sustain hence causing some civilians starved to death as there were no food supplies. The minister's family has also fun out of food supplies as they have been starving for days.
The situation left the farmer with no choice, so he turned up to the minister's house with buckets of rice to help the family. At that moment, the minister felt terribly ashamed and sorry, he thought to himself, "Couldn't have imagined someone who I regarded as a lowly person to save me and my family lives." The minister sincerely apologized to the farmer and consequently gives his full consent to allow the marriage between him and his daughter.
Thursday, 24 April 2014
'Self-Cultivation' Means to Cultivate Your Soul With 'Love' and Hence Embracing Your Spirituality
Never define 'self-cultivation' as something too specific or shallow as it encompasses all. Since we were born, we were bound to face every single obstacle in life. Therefore we have started cultivating ourselves since the day we were born.
The only difference between monks/practitioners and laymen is they are able to view life in more thorough and transparent manner thus their lifelong priority is to transform and cultivate their spirituality.
However if you have thoroughly understood self-cultivation, you would realize that everything in life could pose as an ordeal for us to cultivate ourselves. In fact, the places that we can truly cultivate ourselves are at home, office and in our very own lives.
Thus we are all practitioners. Learning how to do good instead of evil, learning how to forgive instead of keeping in the anger, learning how to fulfill your filial piety duties instead of being irresponsible and learning how to sacrifice instead of being selfish. All these practices are cultivated through your thoughts, hence these are all known as cultivated practices.
You're letting go worries and pains once you have let go of the 'mentality of differentiation'.
What you did wrong today most likely would become something right tomorrow. Things at this instant might seem bad but bad things wouldn't last forever. If things were so bad and you couldn't do anything to better the problem or you wouldn't accept the fact, think again, is it really THAT terrible?
What differences do they do to your soul with a successful career, happy marriage or relationship, loved ones are still healthy and alive and you're in good health or an unsuccessful career, unhappy marriage or relationship, losing loved ones and when your body is giving in? Think carefully, all these things have never exited before we set foot into the world. Let's say if it would to happen, all these people and things regardless whether if is good or bad would eventually come to an end when you bid farewell to the world. The same applies to your happiness and unhappiness that the 'delusional you' experienced as it would never come along when death tears you apart.
Destiny is unpredictable.
To be frank, a person who thoroughly comprehends cultivation wouldn't even bother about 'destiny'. Because they clearly know that 'destiny' merely serves as a 'tool' that poses as an ordeal to test their spirituality.
Life is merely the universe's examination hall. Those who fare badly would be doomed to the hungry ghost realm, animal realm or hell; those moderate achievers would be sent back to the world again; those who fare well would be sent to heaven to serve as deities; those top achievers would leave the rebirth cycle and become a free soul that stations at the highest realm.
Remember don't go differentiating good or bad destiny. Destiny merely serves as a tool to truly seek for your true self (soul).
What we really need is a 'chance' to change our destiny, being attached to our destiny doesn't provide us chances. We can only provide ourselves opportunity by changing 'the magnetic filed of your state of mind', thus providing you 'chances' to change your destiny.
Changing the environment is merely treating the symptom but not the cause. Treat it by changing your attitude and viewing life through your sou;, only then you would be able to face all the challenges that the destiny brings!
The only difference between monks/practitioners and laymen is they are able to view life in more thorough and transparent manner thus their lifelong priority is to transform and cultivate their spirituality.
However if you have thoroughly understood self-cultivation, you would realize that everything in life could pose as an ordeal for us to cultivate ourselves. In fact, the places that we can truly cultivate ourselves are at home, office and in our very own lives.
Thus we are all practitioners. Learning how to do good instead of evil, learning how to forgive instead of keeping in the anger, learning how to fulfill your filial piety duties instead of being irresponsible and learning how to sacrifice instead of being selfish. All these practices are cultivated through your thoughts, hence these are all known as cultivated practices.
You're letting go worries and pains once you have let go of the 'mentality of differentiation'.
What you did wrong today most likely would become something right tomorrow. Things at this instant might seem bad but bad things wouldn't last forever. If things were so bad and you couldn't do anything to better the problem or you wouldn't accept the fact, think again, is it really THAT terrible?
What differences do they do to your soul with a successful career, happy marriage or relationship, loved ones are still healthy and alive and you're in good health or an unsuccessful career, unhappy marriage or relationship, losing loved ones and when your body is giving in? Think carefully, all these things have never exited before we set foot into the world. Let's say if it would to happen, all these people and things regardless whether if is good or bad would eventually come to an end when you bid farewell to the world. The same applies to your happiness and unhappiness that the 'delusional you' experienced as it would never come along when death tears you apart.
Destiny is unpredictable.
To be frank, a person who thoroughly comprehends cultivation wouldn't even bother about 'destiny'. Because they clearly know that 'destiny' merely serves as a 'tool' that poses as an ordeal to test their spirituality.
Life is merely the universe's examination hall. Those who fare badly would be doomed to the hungry ghost realm, animal realm or hell; those moderate achievers would be sent back to the world again; those who fare well would be sent to heaven to serve as deities; those top achievers would leave the rebirth cycle and become a free soul that stations at the highest realm.
Remember don't go differentiating good or bad destiny. Destiny merely serves as a tool to truly seek for your true self (soul).
What we really need is a 'chance' to change our destiny, being attached to our destiny doesn't provide us chances. We can only provide ourselves opportunity by changing 'the magnetic filed of your state of mind', thus providing you 'chances' to change your destiny.
Changing the environment is merely treating the symptom but not the cause. Treat it by changing your attitude and viewing life through your sou;, only then you would be able to face all the challenges that the destiny brings!
Dont be a Soul Who gets Contaminated by 'Cleanliness'
We have always been saying how we must cleanse and purify our soul and how to prevent your soul from the contamination of 'cleanliness'.
One who has obsessive disorder loves things to be clean and free from germs. It would pose as an emotion 'obstacle' for them whenever there's some dirt. Especially, when they put on white outfits they would be afraid to touch every single thing around them because they are 'afraid' to dirty their clothes. You might say they are really clean, but don't you think their 'heart' has been contaminated by 'cleanliness'?
Once there's a Brahman believer who went to the Ganges River to bathe early in the morning. The Brahman believes that the Ganges River can cleanse and purify him. After bathing, he headed to the market for breakfast, while walking he accidentally bumped into a beggar. He was disgusted and shrieked, "See where you're heading to! I need to go all the way back to the Ganges River to bathe again because you made me dirty!"
The beggar replied, "All I did was briefly brushing up against you as I walked by. If the Ganges River can cleanse and purify you and I am able to de-cleanse you, then I supposed I'm even greater and more powerful than your great Ganges River."
The Sakyamuni Buddha says, "There's nothing absolutely contaminated or neither pure." The differences are made up by mankind. Bear in mind that the pristine water lily raises from the depths of a murky pond.
Many who seek to live a perfect life tend to live in an imperfect life because they want every single thing in their lives to be perfect.
They put too much emphasis on the matter to be cleansed and purified at all times hence their soul is severely polluted by everything.
A master monk and his apprentice monk are meditating in a room. Suddenly a visitor accidentally barged into the mediation room, the apprentice said, "Why did you act so heedlessly? You have interrupted our tranquil meditation." However, the master didn't move an inch when the visitor came and left. After the meditation, the master asked the apprentice, "Who interrupted you just now?" He replied, "An imprudent visitor:. The master said, "I assume it's not the visitor who has interrupted your peacefulness, instead it was the tranquility of the environment that has interrupted you."
True peacefulness can never be interrupted. There are two types of peacefulness, one is the 'environment" and another is the 'state of mind'. The appearance of the visitor proves the true peacefulness within you.
There were two monks at the river bank. One of the monks is tall and well-built whereas the other is short and petite. While they were about to cross the river, there was a young lady struggling to cross the river due to the rapid water current. The young lady noticed the well-built monk and requested the monk to help her over. The well-built monk lifted the young lady and crossed the river without any hesitation. The young lady showed her appreciation and left. For the remaining of the journey, the petite monk glared at the well-built monk in disgust. On the following day, the petite monk couldn't hold it in anymore and questioned him, "Master told us that we're not supposed to have any contact with woman! But you just lifted the lady without much thought and crossed the river yesterday!"
The well-built monk smiled and said, "My little junior! I have already 'put down' the lady once I crossed the river. But why are you still holding on to it after a whole night? I suppose your 'heart' is still not able to 'put down' the lady.
You can only seek for true tranquility by changing your state of mind.
The soul doesn't know how to differentiate; the differences come within your heart.
Being attached to everything in life itself is contamination. Because all pains in life root from attachment, when there's attachment there's the thought of gaining and losing in life, when there are gains and losses there's when pain entails.
Let's get back to the point, pain stems from gains and losses, gains and losses stem from attachment and why are we attached? Precisely! Attachment stems from differentiation.
To be frank, the culprit behind human pain is the 'mentality of differentiation'.
Since young we were being brought up to differentiate what's good and what's bad; what's long and short, what's big or small and what's good or evil.
Our society and culture have implanted the concept of women being fully responsible on household chores whereas husbands and male are responsible to make a living. The Chinese society still practices the same old belief where they perceive men to be more superior than women. When the husband cheat on the wife, she would be asked to be more open and embrace the fact because it is acceptable for man to go cheating around. However when the wife is caught cheating on the husband, the consequences are daunting. She would not only suffer from being called names, such as immodest woman, slut, whore, and countless other terrible names, besides she also suffers from being discriminated by the society due to the standard of perceiving woman.
When man checked-in to a hotel it is known as socializing, however when woman do so they would become a total immodest whore. Above all the irony, man is good for nothing if they're unsuccessful in their career, but it is a virtue when women is unsuccessful in their career.
Moreover, you expect and hope your daughter to be treated well by the in-laws after marriage, in contrary, when you have a daughter-in-law, all you think of is how she can treat you well and how must she fulfill her task as a daughter-in-law. Besides, you would expect your son to live under the same roof with you after his marriage but the irony is when you have a son-in-law, you would also wished that he would stay with you after marriage.
When your friend fell out of love, you would console them to move on; when you yourself fell out of love, everything seems to fall apart and it's like the end of the world to you. You like butterfly but you're afraid of the hairy caterpillar. You would complain how messy and filthy it is to eat ice-cream, but still you can't resist it. The very same candy looks disgusting when it's spitted out by someone else, but it is nothing close to disgusting when you salivate while eating the candy. Other's booger is extremely gross but at times you'd swallow your own booger. Why would all food become disgusting when it comes in contact with the saliva? Is it because saliva is filthy? If that's so, what are those slimy liquid in your mouth? I reckon you're filthier.
Stool sickens and disgusts you, but before it was excreted, it is inside your body and wouldn't that make you even more sickening and disgusting? Visiting the gastrologist is fine, but visiting the urologist or gynecologist makes you feel all embarrassed. Both are body organs but why would you feel this way?
I threw my fist to you in order to protect my family, consequently I became a bad person to you; but if you are one of my family members, I would become a good person. In other words, if you to become one of my family members, I would be the person who gives someone else a lesson.
Why? Precisely! All of these are all because of your 'mentality of differentiation'.
At this moment, can you feel your soul is imprisoned in your body? Your physical body has nerves, arteries, feelings, and preconceived notions that you have accumulated throughout your life that misled your soul and eventually causing you to have the 'mentality of differentiation'.
Once you have the 'mentality of differentiation', all trouble and pain would entail naturally. I like this person, I hate that person, this is delicious and that tastes awful. Even a mere outbreak of a pimple could affect your day.
Why is it so difficult for human to live through a day? This is because the world is filled with 'temptations'. 'Temptations' can only take effect when there's 'feelings' and 'feelings's stems from the 'mentality of differentiation'. If we couldn't tell the difference, we would have the same feeling at all times, hence 'temptations' can't take effect on us.
Normally when we mention about 'evil', our 'mentality of differentiation' would naturally tell us that these are bad things that bring bad luck.
Conversely, if there's no encounter of any 'evil' ordeal in life, what are the things that you can do to transform your soul? If the jerk didn't dump you, how would you have the chance to enjoy happiness as it is right now? What is good; what is bad; what is right and what is wrong?
For instance, when you're meeting someone sincerely and in terms of faithfulness you felt like you have invested all our feelings into it. However after some time, the significant other realized that there are differences in belief and perspective between both and decided to end the relationship. At this instant, you might be able to take it easily as you might swear and call him a jerk of thought of revenge and create nonsensical dramas.
But have you ever thought of putting yourself in someone else's shoes? One day if you would have to experience the same exact thing when you realized there are so many dissimilarities that you can't take the relationship anymore or if you have met a better and more suitable person and decided to end the relationship. Cast all dramas that you would have done when you were dumped to yourself, I bet you wouldn't think that you are a jerk instead you would reply by saying "You're crazy" "You're ridiculous" or "That's the reason why I want to end this relationship". this is how ridiculous human are, when they're dumped they'd call someone a jerk, when they dump someone they'd call it as a a choice.
Here's another example. A driver ran over one of your family members which caused your loved one to be paralyzed or in worst case scenario, passed away. At this very moment, you might be agitated like how those family members would do on television as you might swear, curse or beat the person up. But what if you or one of your family members is the one who did the mistake? Would you stand from the victim's family point of view and apologize by saying, "I'm sorry! I'm truly sorry about what has happened! It wasn't my intention" Although your family might be apologizing earnestly from the bottom of their heart and repent for what they have done, the victim's family still insist in swearing, cursing, or applying brutal threats. How would you feel? Wouldn't you feel the other party was being too much and you were being treated unfair? Wouldn't you feel aggrieved for you and your family members?
There's no way to clearly determine what's yes or no and what's right or wrong in life. There are two sides to every coin. If you could have used your soul to calmly and correctly to view these two sides without being influenced by any of it and embrace everything with love, you would achieve the ultimate self-cultivation and you would see the cultivated practitioner in you.
One who has obsessive disorder loves things to be clean and free from germs. It would pose as an emotion 'obstacle' for them whenever there's some dirt. Especially, when they put on white outfits they would be afraid to touch every single thing around them because they are 'afraid' to dirty their clothes. You might say they are really clean, but don't you think their 'heart' has been contaminated by 'cleanliness'?
Once there's a Brahman believer who went to the Ganges River to bathe early in the morning. The Brahman believes that the Ganges River can cleanse and purify him. After bathing, he headed to the market for breakfast, while walking he accidentally bumped into a beggar. He was disgusted and shrieked, "See where you're heading to! I need to go all the way back to the Ganges River to bathe again because you made me dirty!"
The beggar replied, "All I did was briefly brushing up against you as I walked by. If the Ganges River can cleanse and purify you and I am able to de-cleanse you, then I supposed I'm even greater and more powerful than your great Ganges River."
The Sakyamuni Buddha says, "There's nothing absolutely contaminated or neither pure." The differences are made up by mankind. Bear in mind that the pristine water lily raises from the depths of a murky pond.
Many who seek to live a perfect life tend to live in an imperfect life because they want every single thing in their lives to be perfect.
They put too much emphasis on the matter to be cleansed and purified at all times hence their soul is severely polluted by everything.
A master monk and his apprentice monk are meditating in a room. Suddenly a visitor accidentally barged into the mediation room, the apprentice said, "Why did you act so heedlessly? You have interrupted our tranquil meditation." However, the master didn't move an inch when the visitor came and left. After the meditation, the master asked the apprentice, "Who interrupted you just now?" He replied, "An imprudent visitor:. The master said, "I assume it's not the visitor who has interrupted your peacefulness, instead it was the tranquility of the environment that has interrupted you."
True peacefulness can never be interrupted. There are two types of peacefulness, one is the 'environment" and another is the 'state of mind'. The appearance of the visitor proves the true peacefulness within you.
There were two monks at the river bank. One of the monks is tall and well-built whereas the other is short and petite. While they were about to cross the river, there was a young lady struggling to cross the river due to the rapid water current. The young lady noticed the well-built monk and requested the monk to help her over. The well-built monk lifted the young lady and crossed the river without any hesitation. The young lady showed her appreciation and left. For the remaining of the journey, the petite monk glared at the well-built monk in disgust. On the following day, the petite monk couldn't hold it in anymore and questioned him, "Master told us that we're not supposed to have any contact with woman! But you just lifted the lady without much thought and crossed the river yesterday!"
The well-built monk smiled and said, "My little junior! I have already 'put down' the lady once I crossed the river. But why are you still holding on to it after a whole night? I suppose your 'heart' is still not able to 'put down' the lady.
You can only seek for true tranquility by changing your state of mind.
The soul doesn't know how to differentiate; the differences come within your heart.
Being attached to everything in life itself is contamination. Because all pains in life root from attachment, when there's attachment there's the thought of gaining and losing in life, when there are gains and losses there's when pain entails.
Let's get back to the point, pain stems from gains and losses, gains and losses stem from attachment and why are we attached? Precisely! Attachment stems from differentiation.
To be frank, the culprit behind human pain is the 'mentality of differentiation'.
Since young we were being brought up to differentiate what's good and what's bad; what's long and short, what's big or small and what's good or evil.
Our society and culture have implanted the concept of women being fully responsible on household chores whereas husbands and male are responsible to make a living. The Chinese society still practices the same old belief where they perceive men to be more superior than women. When the husband cheat on the wife, she would be asked to be more open and embrace the fact because it is acceptable for man to go cheating around. However when the wife is caught cheating on the husband, the consequences are daunting. She would not only suffer from being called names, such as immodest woman, slut, whore, and countless other terrible names, besides she also suffers from being discriminated by the society due to the standard of perceiving woman.
When man checked-in to a hotel it is known as socializing, however when woman do so they would become a total immodest whore. Above all the irony, man is good for nothing if they're unsuccessful in their career, but it is a virtue when women is unsuccessful in their career.
Moreover, you expect and hope your daughter to be treated well by the in-laws after marriage, in contrary, when you have a daughter-in-law, all you think of is how she can treat you well and how must she fulfill her task as a daughter-in-law. Besides, you would expect your son to live under the same roof with you after his marriage but the irony is when you have a son-in-law, you would also wished that he would stay with you after marriage.
When your friend fell out of love, you would console them to move on; when you yourself fell out of love, everything seems to fall apart and it's like the end of the world to you. You like butterfly but you're afraid of the hairy caterpillar. You would complain how messy and filthy it is to eat ice-cream, but still you can't resist it. The very same candy looks disgusting when it's spitted out by someone else, but it is nothing close to disgusting when you salivate while eating the candy. Other's booger is extremely gross but at times you'd swallow your own booger. Why would all food become disgusting when it comes in contact with the saliva? Is it because saliva is filthy? If that's so, what are those slimy liquid in your mouth? I reckon you're filthier.
Stool sickens and disgusts you, but before it was excreted, it is inside your body and wouldn't that make you even more sickening and disgusting? Visiting the gastrologist is fine, but visiting the urologist or gynecologist makes you feel all embarrassed. Both are body organs but why would you feel this way?
I threw my fist to you in order to protect my family, consequently I became a bad person to you; but if you are one of my family members, I would become a good person. In other words, if you to become one of my family members, I would be the person who gives someone else a lesson.
Why? Precisely! All of these are all because of your 'mentality of differentiation'.
At this moment, can you feel your soul is imprisoned in your body? Your physical body has nerves, arteries, feelings, and preconceived notions that you have accumulated throughout your life that misled your soul and eventually causing you to have the 'mentality of differentiation'.
Once you have the 'mentality of differentiation', all trouble and pain would entail naturally. I like this person, I hate that person, this is delicious and that tastes awful. Even a mere outbreak of a pimple could affect your day.
Why is it so difficult for human to live through a day? This is because the world is filled with 'temptations'. 'Temptations' can only take effect when there's 'feelings' and 'feelings's stems from the 'mentality of differentiation'. If we couldn't tell the difference, we would have the same feeling at all times, hence 'temptations' can't take effect on us.
Normally when we mention about 'evil', our 'mentality of differentiation' would naturally tell us that these are bad things that bring bad luck.
Conversely, if there's no encounter of any 'evil' ordeal in life, what are the things that you can do to transform your soul? If the jerk didn't dump you, how would you have the chance to enjoy happiness as it is right now? What is good; what is bad; what is right and what is wrong?
For instance, when you're meeting someone sincerely and in terms of faithfulness you felt like you have invested all our feelings into it. However after some time, the significant other realized that there are differences in belief and perspective between both and decided to end the relationship. At this instant, you might be able to take it easily as you might swear and call him a jerk of thought of revenge and create nonsensical dramas.
But have you ever thought of putting yourself in someone else's shoes? One day if you would have to experience the same exact thing when you realized there are so many dissimilarities that you can't take the relationship anymore or if you have met a better and more suitable person and decided to end the relationship. Cast all dramas that you would have done when you were dumped to yourself, I bet you wouldn't think that you are a jerk instead you would reply by saying "You're crazy" "You're ridiculous" or "That's the reason why I want to end this relationship". this is how ridiculous human are, when they're dumped they'd call someone a jerk, when they dump someone they'd call it as a a choice.
Here's another example. A driver ran over one of your family members which caused your loved one to be paralyzed or in worst case scenario, passed away. At this very moment, you might be agitated like how those family members would do on television as you might swear, curse or beat the person up. But what if you or one of your family members is the one who did the mistake? Would you stand from the victim's family point of view and apologize by saying, "I'm sorry! I'm truly sorry about what has happened! It wasn't my intention" Although your family might be apologizing earnestly from the bottom of their heart and repent for what they have done, the victim's family still insist in swearing, cursing, or applying brutal threats. How would you feel? Wouldn't you feel the other party was being too much and you were being treated unfair? Wouldn't you feel aggrieved for you and your family members?
There's no way to clearly determine what's yes or no and what's right or wrong in life. There are two sides to every coin. If you could have used your soul to calmly and correctly to view these two sides without being influenced by any of it and embrace everything with love, you would achieve the ultimate self-cultivation and you would see the cultivated practitioner in you.
Sunday, 20 April 2014
Change the State of Mind Instead of the Environment
There's an old woman who leads a very unhappy and worrisome life. This is because she has two sons; the elder sells straw hats and the younger sells umbrella. If today's weather is good, she would be worried about her younger son who can't make profit on a sunny say; if today's weather is bad, she would be worried about her elder son who can't make any profit on a rainy day. Hence there's always a frown on her face.
One fine day, a monk passed by the old woman's hose, seeing her distress, the monk asked, "Grandma, it seems like there's something bothering you. I might be able to help you if you would like to share your problem." The old woman gladly shares her problem with the monk.
Upon listening, the monk smiled and said, " Don't worry! Let me teach you a trick. From now on, during the days when the weather is good just think about your elder son, in contrary, when it's rainy day think about your younger son. By doing so wouldn't you be happy everyday?" At the very instant, the old woman showed her smile that has been absence since ages.
It is very important to change one's state of mind. Everyone wants to make a difference in their life, but everyone would think - "things don't change if I am the only one who puts in the effort, the world can't be free from evil people!"
However if everyone could change their perspective to - "I'll just practice good starting with myself regardless of what others do, and eventually I believe that it would be a better world to live in!"
There's nothing impossible and impossible is nothing. Beethoven was deaf but still he is a renowned musician.
President Sun Yat-sen's belief - "The world belongs to all, a world with universal harmony." So what does "the world belongs to all" and "a world with universal harmony" mean?
Before civilization, there's no difference between human. The young an capable ones hunt, the others sought foods are all shared among everyone and it doesn't matter about who will take the credit for gathering the food. Moreover, no hierarchy existed as there's no difference between the tribal chief and the tribe. No surname existed as they bring up their child together and take care of the elderly together. There's no difference between whose child, parent, wife and husband are, because all they strive to do is to bear the responsibility together in the continuation of human race.
If we could have just possessed half of the mentality of the indigenous, do we still need to lock our doors when we leave the house? Do we still beed to be afraid of pickpockets and snatch thieves? Do we still need to worry about our food supply if we have lost our job?
The question is - Would "the world belongs to all" truly be realized? Impossible! Why would I say so? Because how can it possible happen if everyone believes it is impossible! Hence impossible doesn't stem from others but from your 'heart'!
If you have been failing again and again for the same thing in life as relationships never work out for you and your career life is miserable because it seems like you're never acknowledged by anyone. At the very moment, try to think whether there's a problem with your attitude and mentality.
Remember to embrace the 'bright side' of the destiny with positive energy. When sunlight shines upon you, there's only one way to see your own shadow, which is to turn your back against the sunlight.
Precisely! All you need to do is to turn yourself around and face directly into the sunlight. Remember to embrace life's 'bright side' with your soul as if would ease away most of the pains in life.
Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself. You are not here to change the world. The world is here to change you.
One fine day, a monk passed by the old woman's hose, seeing her distress, the monk asked, "Grandma, it seems like there's something bothering you. I might be able to help you if you would like to share your problem." The old woman gladly shares her problem with the monk.
Upon listening, the monk smiled and said, " Don't worry! Let me teach you a trick. From now on, during the days when the weather is good just think about your elder son, in contrary, when it's rainy day think about your younger son. By doing so wouldn't you be happy everyday?" At the very instant, the old woman showed her smile that has been absence since ages.
It is very important to change one's state of mind. Everyone wants to make a difference in their life, but everyone would think - "things don't change if I am the only one who puts in the effort, the world can't be free from evil people!"
However if everyone could change their perspective to - "I'll just practice good starting with myself regardless of what others do, and eventually I believe that it would be a better world to live in!"
There's nothing impossible and impossible is nothing. Beethoven was deaf but still he is a renowned musician.
President Sun Yat-sen's belief - "The world belongs to all, a world with universal harmony." So what does "the world belongs to all" and "a world with universal harmony" mean?
Before civilization, there's no difference between human. The young an capable ones hunt, the others sought foods are all shared among everyone and it doesn't matter about who will take the credit for gathering the food. Moreover, no hierarchy existed as there's no difference between the tribal chief and the tribe. No surname existed as they bring up their child together and take care of the elderly together. There's no difference between whose child, parent, wife and husband are, because all they strive to do is to bear the responsibility together in the continuation of human race.
If we could have just possessed half of the mentality of the indigenous, do we still need to lock our doors when we leave the house? Do we still beed to be afraid of pickpockets and snatch thieves? Do we still need to worry about our food supply if we have lost our job?
The question is - Would "the world belongs to all" truly be realized? Impossible! Why would I say so? Because how can it possible happen if everyone believes it is impossible! Hence impossible doesn't stem from others but from your 'heart'!
If you have been failing again and again for the same thing in life as relationships never work out for you and your career life is miserable because it seems like you're never acknowledged by anyone. At the very moment, try to think whether there's a problem with your attitude and mentality.
Remember to embrace the 'bright side' of the destiny with positive energy. When sunlight shines upon you, there's only one way to see your own shadow, which is to turn your back against the sunlight.
Precisely! All you need to do is to turn yourself around and face directly into the sunlight. Remember to embrace life's 'bright side' with your soul as if would ease away most of the pains in life.
Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself. You are not here to change the world. The world is here to change you.
Accept the Pain and Misfortune in the Past
You needn't try to forget it, instead choose to embrace it. If you want to forget a person, the more you thing of forgetting the person, the more you will think about the person. When you are about to forget the person, you have to remind yourself again that you have to forget him/her. Forgetting is remembering, because you remember you have to forget someone or something, when you constant;y remind yourself to do so, the shadows of the person of incident would reappear. Therefore the thought wouldn't disappear, instead the feeling grows stronger.
Once upon a time, a Taoist priest entered a small village and he has the power to turn sand into gold. All he need is to place sand into a normal bowl and recite a 10 minutes charm. Magically, the bowl of sand would turn into a bowl of golden sand.
Hence the locals pleaded the priest to teach them how to turn sand into gold and surprisingly the priest happily agrees to their request. The priest said, "All you need to do is not to think about gold while reciting the charm, after 10 minutes I will assure you that the sand would turn into gold." Next he taught the locals the charm and reminded them to not think about gold while reciting.
The locals joyfully recite the charm. However, they just couldn't keep their mind free from the thoughts of gold, the harder they try, the harder it is to not think about it and eventually no one could make it through for even 30 seconds. Don't believe it? Try to recite Amitabha and don't think about gold for 1 minute. I assure that you wouldn't succeed!
Therefore, don't try to forget pain and misery instead accept and embrace it! Pain and misery are merely thoughts, because they don't have any power to break you.
Life i just like a beautiful stalk of rose. Under the beautiful blossom, it is filled with thorns and these thorns are just like the people and things around us as there's always something that we're unsatisfied about others. This is known as the "Life of a Rose".
Why not open your heart to enjoy this beautiful life? For instance, some might feel their parents of their significant other is very long-winded. However, have this crossed your mind if one day they are no longer around and ll we can do is to miss and longed for their long-winded nags? There are two sides to every coin, thus use your wisdom to make out what is right and wrong in order to lead a life of a thorn-free rose.
Never ever let the cycle of life to affect yo! What does this really mean? For example, love for one that has changed things that went bad and health that deteriorates. I might be alive today but dead in the very next moment, this is so called the cycle of life. If we couldn't accept the gains and losses in life, life would be filled with struggle. Hence we must know how to let things be and understand sometimes things are not meant to be, only then we can appertain the different stages in life and eventually understand the true happiness in life.
Accept all the past misfortunes. If you still have the time and strength to complain, don't forget, this is only possible for fortunate people. Live in the moment, embrace the past misfortunes, enjoy the life as it is with obstacles and through it you would be able to vision your true happiness.
Once upon a time, a Taoist priest entered a small village and he has the power to turn sand into gold. All he need is to place sand into a normal bowl and recite a 10 minutes charm. Magically, the bowl of sand would turn into a bowl of golden sand.
Hence the locals pleaded the priest to teach them how to turn sand into gold and surprisingly the priest happily agrees to their request. The priest said, "All you need to do is not to think about gold while reciting the charm, after 10 minutes I will assure you that the sand would turn into gold." Next he taught the locals the charm and reminded them to not think about gold while reciting.
The locals joyfully recite the charm. However, they just couldn't keep their mind free from the thoughts of gold, the harder they try, the harder it is to not think about it and eventually no one could make it through for even 30 seconds. Don't believe it? Try to recite Amitabha and don't think about gold for 1 minute. I assure that you wouldn't succeed!
Therefore, don't try to forget pain and misery instead accept and embrace it! Pain and misery are merely thoughts, because they don't have any power to break you.
Life i just like a beautiful stalk of rose. Under the beautiful blossom, it is filled with thorns and these thorns are just like the people and things around us as there's always something that we're unsatisfied about others. This is known as the "Life of a Rose".
Why not open your heart to enjoy this beautiful life? For instance, some might feel their parents of their significant other is very long-winded. However, have this crossed your mind if one day they are no longer around and ll we can do is to miss and longed for their long-winded nags? There are two sides to every coin, thus use your wisdom to make out what is right and wrong in order to lead a life of a thorn-free rose.
Never ever let the cycle of life to affect yo! What does this really mean? For example, love for one that has changed things that went bad and health that deteriorates. I might be alive today but dead in the very next moment, this is so called the cycle of life. If we couldn't accept the gains and losses in life, life would be filled with struggle. Hence we must know how to let things be and understand sometimes things are not meant to be, only then we can appertain the different stages in life and eventually understand the true happiness in life.
Accept all the past misfortunes. If you still have the time and strength to complain, don't forget, this is only possible for fortunate people. Live in the moment, embrace the past misfortunes, enjoy the life as it is with obstacles and through it you would be able to vision your true happiness.
Don't Hurt Anyone. "It Only Takes a Few Seconds to Hurt People You Love and It Can Take Years to Heal or Never".
Up until this point of the story, some might say if she didn't steal for the very first time, things wouldn't have blown up like this. Others might say who has never done wrong in their life? The teacher could have just told the students that although Lyn shouldn't have to steal, it is still not nice for all of you to tease her family's financial status as you could have just shown some compassion and love by helping her out. Think about it, if you're Lyn's shoes, would you like to be teased?
If the teacher could have just asked the classmates to gather some money to buy Lyn a pencil case after she was asked to apologize, Lyn would not only feel grateful as she would understand what is sacrifice and gratefulness. Besides, it might also change her life, in the future she would influence others on what she has learned about spreading love around. Furthermore, the teacher might educate students on what does love means. Imagine this, if all the students are taught what love is, how much influence can it brings to the society?
This is the reason why our current education system is a great failure. Parents are busy with earning big bucks and hence they have no time to keep track of how their children are doing in school. Teachers only know how to fulfill the entire required syllabus and judge the students based on their academic performance; they're not even a little bothered about the importance of personality shaping.
Education is supposed to develop one's personality. However our society values success with the achievement of status and quality of life. Everyone focuses on children's academic performance rather than educating them to properly develop their personality and to live life in the correct way.
Now some might say, it would be great if someone could just let May know Lyn's past, she would probably forgive Lyn's mistake. This is exactly the message that I want to convey!
To err is human, to forgive is divine. People tend to forgive themselves easily but find it difficult to forgive others. This is because you know what's happening inside yourself but you don't know someone else's side of story.
Buddha says, "There's no person who is truly bad or evil, there's only people with 'bad habit'". Everyone is born as blank sheet or tabula rasa as there are no evil in nature, our surroundings are the ones who shape us who we are today.
In the story, the reason behind why Lyn is always the scapegoat and she has never gained any trust from others is due to the environment that she was exposed and that shaped her personality.
For instance, if you were to be brought up in the red light districts, your dad lives by drinking and visiting prostitutes daily and your mum earns from selling her body. Under this environment your values in life would be deviated and in addition to the people that you would meet under these circumstances would severely affect your behavior. As a result, your 'bad habits' that you have cultivated while growing up would be perceived as rude and improper.
This is why Buddha said, there's no person who is truly bad or evil. The so-called bad people are the ones who are severely affected by the environment that they were brought up from which caused their kind-hearted nature went bad. Eventually, they perceive things in the wrong way and do wrong. I believe everyone has 'bad habit' but most of us have no idea how it became a habit, because habits are formed unconsciously regardless they are good or bad.
If you have completely comprehended this idea, when someone did wrong to you, all you need to do is by letting down your pre-judge mental thought and try to touch the person's heart with a forgiving heart. Treat people by holding on to the belief of 'returning good for evil' as we can help people by changing their lives and we can also do ourselves a favor by eliminating hatred that brings pain and misery.
So far, what is the truth behind the story? Don't assume that Lyn's past explains the truth. We are not God, we would never know the relationship between an individual with another and it is also impossible to find out everyone's past. What I would really like to convey is - everyone makes mistakes. Making mistakes it doesn't mean you have sinned if you don't even know you have done wrong due to your bad habits.
The fact is everyone makes mistakes and everyone wishes to be forgiven. It is inevitable and you're not excluded from the joys and sorrow of meeting and departing with your loved ones and the cycle of life.
Here comes the highlight. Truth to be told all these are known fact, but why can't you just control your temper at that moment? This is because you have wasted all your strength on the thoughts of not being the one who was benefitted in the process. Thoughts are merely thoughts; it couldn't harm nor threaten your life. As if the person would really die if you hated the person so much, it doesn't actually turn out this way, isn't it? Thoughts are merely thoughts, you need not to eradicate the feeling because all you need to do is to be bystander, quietly observe the thoughts and allow it to come and leave naturally.
Not a single person could hold onto their thoughts forever, when it comes all you need to do is to be a soul of a bystander. You would come to realize that the thoughts would only affect your emotion and the time interval between transmitting the thoughts to emotion is extremely short that you wouldn't even have the time to think from the perspective of a bystander. Thus your emotion was reflected without any deep thoughts which result in incorrect judgements. This is just like a small quarrel that blows out of proportion which eventually turns into hate.
What does 'calm' mean? When others are in the midst of a fight, you would ask them to calm themselves down but why can't you do the same when you're the one who is involved? This is because you're viewing things from a bystander perspective when you asked others to calm down. You would be very objective in analyzing the problem because you're not emotionally affected, this is known as "lookers-on see most of the game".
The physical body is like a machine that specifically brings obstacles for you in life as if misleads you in perceiving that this is your true self by constantly producing various emotions. Karma! Karma! That's what we always say. Let me tell you what Karma really means. It comprises the meaning of "building up" and "obstacles". Simply put, Karma means your life is to be filled with obstacles due to the terrible habits that are developed.
For instance, your relationships always turn sour, hence in order to protect yourself from being dishearten once more, you would raise your guard by being extremely suspicious and possessive. Thus in the future even you have the chance to meet someone great, you would still mess things up due to your over suspicious and over possessive trait. These two traits are the habits that cause your life to be filled with obstacles and this is what we call Karma!
If you could have changed your habit, try to observe things wisely, clearly understand to let things be as it is and embrace the joys and sorrow of meeting and departing with your loved ones. This is because all these obstacles in life would instantly disappear into thin air if you practice perceiving things in this way. While analyzing a problem with your true self (soul), you would realize all these thoughts are nothing close to being harmful, this is provided that you're not as foolish to be concerned of it.
The only difference between saint and layman is that saint can perceive things with their true self. Laymen always perceive things negatively because they only distinguish things through the physical body. Having the thought of revenge is karma, because you're trading your happy moments with hatred.
I have never seen anything that could resolve well with an eye for an eye but I have seen many cases that end well with forgiving and embracing others' mistakes.
"Fate brought us together, fate also tear us apart." Meeting and making great ties require us to change our bad habits in order to cherish the given fate whereas bad encounter allows us to learn how to develop good habits and virtues because no pain no gain.
Just remember to let your true self (soul) to be in charge while handling problems and calmly observe the emotions or thoughts that are stirred up by your physical body. By doing so you would be able to lead a happy life.
The first line of the Heart Sutra says, "Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, when deeply practicing the Prajna-paramita, clearly saw that the five skandhas (senses) are all empty". This is to convey that the form is no other than emptiness and emptiness is no other than form. Form is exactly emptiness and vice versa. It tells us to perceive things through soul with emptiness (like Bodhisattva) and make use of your wisdom (practicing Prajna-paramita) to perceive thoughts that are produced by the five skandhas are eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind. Ironically, you would come to realize the culprit behind the unhappiness is because of your own emotions, not from the person that you thought that he/she has harmed you. Hence we should keep calm at all times, regardless it's a good or bad incident. You wouldn't want yourself to get carried away and eventually end up with a sting in the tail.
You ought to be calm if you're ought to take control over your thoughts. However you have to constant;y practice. IT is acceptable to get overwhelmed with good news but remember to seek your true self when you're going through difficult times. Seize the moment before your reckless thoughts are expressed through your emotions and regain your calmness before that moment as time goes by, you would be able to seek the Bodhisattva in you.
If you want one to change for the better, praising is the best punishment.
I have never seen one truly change for the better with punishment. Most of the people refrain from doing wrong because they are afraid of the punishment that entails; it is not because they sincerely want to strive better. Especially younger children, their evil roots still exist, they are afraid of punishment hence they follow the tule. After punishment, there are indeed people who change for the better; however it is because they sincerely want to be better, and it has nothing to do with reprimanding or punishment.
Many have this mentality - "If you judge for what I have done, I'll show you what I am capable of doing." If this is what's happening, wouldn't the student behave even worse after the teacher publicly deemed him/her as bad student? The fact is many students are just less bright when they don't excel well academically which is not because they are lazy. However, once we deemed less-bright students as lazy students, they would think that it doesn't matter if they try harder since everyone stereotypes them as a lazy student. This is as if you want river water to be crystal clean despite polluting it by dumping rubbish into it every day.
Therefore, punishment doesn't work. Look at the prisoners, what did they learn from being locked up in the cell? All they have learned is to not get caught net time for the same offenses, eventually when they are released they are still the same old person who doesn't learn from mistakes and change for the better.
What should we do if others have sinned? Are we supposed to praise them for their deeds? Precisely! We should praise and encourage them, I was a chatterbox when I was in elementary and I would talk all day long regardless how much my teacher reprimands and punishes me. However everything changed when I was being elected as the disciplinary monitor, since then I have never uttered a single word during class. I strongly agree on this teacher's method of approaching, people normally heed encouragement but not punishment. Praises and encouragements drive one to perform well, because it makes them eager to perform what you are expecting. Hence don't forget if you want your loved ones to change the for the better, please praise and encourage them!
If the teacher could have just asked the classmates to gather some money to buy Lyn a pencil case after she was asked to apologize, Lyn would not only feel grateful as she would understand what is sacrifice and gratefulness. Besides, it might also change her life, in the future she would influence others on what she has learned about spreading love around. Furthermore, the teacher might educate students on what does love means. Imagine this, if all the students are taught what love is, how much influence can it brings to the society?
This is the reason why our current education system is a great failure. Parents are busy with earning big bucks and hence they have no time to keep track of how their children are doing in school. Teachers only know how to fulfill the entire required syllabus and judge the students based on their academic performance; they're not even a little bothered about the importance of personality shaping.
Education is supposed to develop one's personality. However our society values success with the achievement of status and quality of life. Everyone focuses on children's academic performance rather than educating them to properly develop their personality and to live life in the correct way.
Now some might say, it would be great if someone could just let May know Lyn's past, she would probably forgive Lyn's mistake. This is exactly the message that I want to convey!
To err is human, to forgive is divine. People tend to forgive themselves easily but find it difficult to forgive others. This is because you know what's happening inside yourself but you don't know someone else's side of story.
Buddha says, "There's no person who is truly bad or evil, there's only people with 'bad habit'". Everyone is born as blank sheet or tabula rasa as there are no evil in nature, our surroundings are the ones who shape us who we are today.
In the story, the reason behind why Lyn is always the scapegoat and she has never gained any trust from others is due to the environment that she was exposed and that shaped her personality.
For instance, if you were to be brought up in the red light districts, your dad lives by drinking and visiting prostitutes daily and your mum earns from selling her body. Under this environment your values in life would be deviated and in addition to the people that you would meet under these circumstances would severely affect your behavior. As a result, your 'bad habits' that you have cultivated while growing up would be perceived as rude and improper.
This is why Buddha said, there's no person who is truly bad or evil. The so-called bad people are the ones who are severely affected by the environment that they were brought up from which caused their kind-hearted nature went bad. Eventually, they perceive things in the wrong way and do wrong. I believe everyone has 'bad habit' but most of us have no idea how it became a habit, because habits are formed unconsciously regardless they are good or bad.
If you have completely comprehended this idea, when someone did wrong to you, all you need to do is by letting down your pre-judge mental thought and try to touch the person's heart with a forgiving heart. Treat people by holding on to the belief of 'returning good for evil' as we can help people by changing their lives and we can also do ourselves a favor by eliminating hatred that brings pain and misery.
So far, what is the truth behind the story? Don't assume that Lyn's past explains the truth. We are not God, we would never know the relationship between an individual with another and it is also impossible to find out everyone's past. What I would really like to convey is - everyone makes mistakes. Making mistakes it doesn't mean you have sinned if you don't even know you have done wrong due to your bad habits.
The fact is everyone makes mistakes and everyone wishes to be forgiven. It is inevitable and you're not excluded from the joys and sorrow of meeting and departing with your loved ones and the cycle of life.
Here comes the highlight. Truth to be told all these are known fact, but why can't you just control your temper at that moment? This is because you have wasted all your strength on the thoughts of not being the one who was benefitted in the process. Thoughts are merely thoughts; it couldn't harm nor threaten your life. As if the person would really die if you hated the person so much, it doesn't actually turn out this way, isn't it? Thoughts are merely thoughts, you need not to eradicate the feeling because all you need to do is to be bystander, quietly observe the thoughts and allow it to come and leave naturally.
Not a single person could hold onto their thoughts forever, when it comes all you need to do is to be a soul of a bystander. You would come to realize that the thoughts would only affect your emotion and the time interval between transmitting the thoughts to emotion is extremely short that you wouldn't even have the time to think from the perspective of a bystander. Thus your emotion was reflected without any deep thoughts which result in incorrect judgements. This is just like a small quarrel that blows out of proportion which eventually turns into hate.
What does 'calm' mean? When others are in the midst of a fight, you would ask them to calm themselves down but why can't you do the same when you're the one who is involved? This is because you're viewing things from a bystander perspective when you asked others to calm down. You would be very objective in analyzing the problem because you're not emotionally affected, this is known as "lookers-on see most of the game".
The physical body is like a machine that specifically brings obstacles for you in life as if misleads you in perceiving that this is your true self by constantly producing various emotions. Karma! Karma! That's what we always say. Let me tell you what Karma really means. It comprises the meaning of "building up" and "obstacles". Simply put, Karma means your life is to be filled with obstacles due to the terrible habits that are developed.
For instance, your relationships always turn sour, hence in order to protect yourself from being dishearten once more, you would raise your guard by being extremely suspicious and possessive. Thus in the future even you have the chance to meet someone great, you would still mess things up due to your over suspicious and over possessive trait. These two traits are the habits that cause your life to be filled with obstacles and this is what we call Karma!
If you could have changed your habit, try to observe things wisely, clearly understand to let things be as it is and embrace the joys and sorrow of meeting and departing with your loved ones. This is because all these obstacles in life would instantly disappear into thin air if you practice perceiving things in this way. While analyzing a problem with your true self (soul), you would realize all these thoughts are nothing close to being harmful, this is provided that you're not as foolish to be concerned of it.
The only difference between saint and layman is that saint can perceive things with their true self. Laymen always perceive things negatively because they only distinguish things through the physical body. Having the thought of revenge is karma, because you're trading your happy moments with hatred.
I have never seen anything that could resolve well with an eye for an eye but I have seen many cases that end well with forgiving and embracing others' mistakes.
"Fate brought us together, fate also tear us apart." Meeting and making great ties require us to change our bad habits in order to cherish the given fate whereas bad encounter allows us to learn how to develop good habits and virtues because no pain no gain.
Just remember to let your true self (soul) to be in charge while handling problems and calmly observe the emotions or thoughts that are stirred up by your physical body. By doing so you would be able to lead a happy life.
The first line of the Heart Sutra says, "Avalokitesvara Bodhisattva, when deeply practicing the Prajna-paramita, clearly saw that the five skandhas (senses) are all empty". This is to convey that the form is no other than emptiness and emptiness is no other than form. Form is exactly emptiness and vice versa. It tells us to perceive things through soul with emptiness (like Bodhisattva) and make use of your wisdom (practicing Prajna-paramita) to perceive thoughts that are produced by the five skandhas are eyes, ears, nose, tongue, body and mind. Ironically, you would come to realize the culprit behind the unhappiness is because of your own emotions, not from the person that you thought that he/she has harmed you. Hence we should keep calm at all times, regardless it's a good or bad incident. You wouldn't want yourself to get carried away and eventually end up with a sting in the tail.
You ought to be calm if you're ought to take control over your thoughts. However you have to constant;y practice. IT is acceptable to get overwhelmed with good news but remember to seek your true self when you're going through difficult times. Seize the moment before your reckless thoughts are expressed through your emotions and regain your calmness before that moment as time goes by, you would be able to seek the Bodhisattva in you.
If you want one to change for the better, praising is the best punishment.
I have never seen one truly change for the better with punishment. Most of the people refrain from doing wrong because they are afraid of the punishment that entails; it is not because they sincerely want to strive better. Especially younger children, their evil roots still exist, they are afraid of punishment hence they follow the tule. After punishment, there are indeed people who change for the better; however it is because they sincerely want to be better, and it has nothing to do with reprimanding or punishment.
Many have this mentality - "If you judge for what I have done, I'll show you what I am capable of doing." If this is what's happening, wouldn't the student behave even worse after the teacher publicly deemed him/her as bad student? The fact is many students are just less bright when they don't excel well academically which is not because they are lazy. However, once we deemed less-bright students as lazy students, they would think that it doesn't matter if they try harder since everyone stereotypes them as a lazy student. This is as if you want river water to be crystal clean despite polluting it by dumping rubbish into it every day.
Therefore, punishment doesn't work. Look at the prisoners, what did they learn from being locked up in the cell? All they have learned is to not get caught net time for the same offenses, eventually when they are released they are still the same old person who doesn't learn from mistakes and change for the better.
What should we do if others have sinned? Are we supposed to praise them for their deeds? Precisely! We should praise and encourage them, I was a chatterbox when I was in elementary and I would talk all day long regardless how much my teacher reprimands and punishes me. However everything changed when I was being elected as the disciplinary monitor, since then I have never uttered a single word during class. I strongly agree on this teacher's method of approaching, people normally heed encouragement but not punishment. Praises and encouragements drive one to perform well, because it makes them eager to perform what you are expecting. Hence don't forget if you want your loved ones to change the for the better, please praise and encourage them!
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